Mobian: Legacy
by ZiGeNaToR
Summary: A 'Prequel' to 'The Mobian Adventures'.  Features: Original characters, Graphic scenes, sexual scenes and epic plot. A much darker writing full of sin and anger, visit my forum for more: 'Genre' is Romance/Adventure/Super-natural/Drama/Tragedy
1. Cruel

**Author's note:**

**Chapter one of my side project is now live. We are thrown into the past, with an original character (of my own creation) with supporting characters (also of my own original creation) in a city (of my own creation). This is a prequel to the story, that acts as prequel as well as a lead in for the missing events in my other story 'The Mobian Adventures'. The story is darker, more twisted and full of sin. It is not a romantic pow-wow, although there is some romance... **

**Feed back would be loved, and i will be updating this story every so often. Yes, they are purposely this long. I don't plan on making this story as many chapters as 'The Mobian Adventures' will be reaching... but depends on feedback as well as how much i fall in love with this story. **

**Oh, and also, this particular chapter is special cause besides the fact the characters are animals, there is no clear tie from this story to the world of Sonic the Hedgehog... but i promise that from Chapter 2 and on you will be able to see the parallels. **

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><p><strong>Cruel<strong>

It was a wet and dark night, the moon was slightly eclipsed by the clouds in the sky and its eerie glow reflected off of the water pooling on the paved roads between the city. The street lamps magnified small puddles and created 'havens' between the dark limbo betwixt the street, where a string of murders have been happening recently. Walking down the street, without a fear in his face, was Thoice Ocelot.

As he walked down the street, he passed alleyways that belched the ghostly whine of the wind rushing through their empty bowels. The light from the street lights guided the only walkway for the civilized to tread, on the broken back of the sidewalk. The ground had been worn away from years of treading, as she cracked and gave way to the erosion of the earth's crust. The windows of the nearby stores reflected Thoice's being and gave him a presence that only stood out in the black back drop that was the night.

Thoice was covered in a dark cloak that obscured the bulk of his appearance, but one could discern that he had a thin frame and his white hair reflected only brighter in the moon light than he desired. He had a monocle over his left eye and a top hat donned his head, he had a cane in his right hand and he seemed to be heading towards a formal gala. A large art gallery was in front of him, named 'Gallery 32'. The gallery was world renowned for its amazing pieces over the year, and tonight was the black tie event that the rich all were looking forward to. Thoice was here for reconnaissance.

"_Well, this monocle sucks to wear… I keep forgetting to use my cane in my steps and this hat is so not working for me! But this is my only chance to figure out who the 'kingpin' is"_ he thought, reminding himself of his mission beforehand.

He had been contacted by a group known as the 'Liberty League' to bypass this gallery's perimeter and find out who this 'kingpin' figure was. The recent string of murders had been followed back to this elusive figure, and knowing who it was would really help the city. Thoice had been found through a string of contacts, for being one of the best infiltrators in all of Galextrium.

"Your invitation sir?" the doorman asked as Thoice reached the front of the line.

"Oh yes, one sec" Thoice replied as he reached into his cloak and grabbed a small needle dipped in a fine poison. In a swift action he handed the doorman his hand, and as the doorman returned the action, Thoice cut his hand and the poison stymied through his body in a matter of seconds. The doorman had a groggy look in his eyes and let Thoice pass while he slumped against the wall to stay standing.

"_So far, so good"_ he thought as he grinned at his ability to do so much with so little poison. He had been a master alchemist for years; at first he adopted his prowess for mere profit. Selling potions and remedies to the people of the city. But as time went on, he studied people's bodies and how the reacted to certain things to slowly create the world's first take on poisons.

He soon learned how to pass these poisons to unbeknownst targets and figured that he would be a wonderful assassin. He was contracted through hundreds of contracts throughout his two years acting out this fantasy. He only accepted a total of sixteen targets, and he flawless accomplished each one. But the guilt of murder and the fear of his own abilities soon made him a skeptic if he was remaining moral.

He had become known as the 'sandman' by certain members of the underworld, because his targets would be found dead in their beds. He always hated the name, and soon abandoned his 'hobby' of being a hit man and went back to being a simple alchemist. Namely to clear his conscious and purify his soul from the murder he had committed. He soon was a town healer, curing hundreds over a few years in his post. But that too became a chore for him and he staged his own death and moved on to Galextrium to just find peace.

He was found out in a bar by the Liberty League, who asked him to do one mission. Albeit, he argued against them for some time, he finally succumbed to their reason and swore that he would only do this one mission. And now, here he was, in the middle of the aristocracy at one of their precious parties. Looking for a man who pulled the strings behind the city, arranging killings of members of the Liberty League, who were trying to free the city from his grasp.

Thoice walked into the main room, checked his cloak and hat into the coat checker and begun to mingle his way into the party. He was wearing a fine jacket over a dress shirt, thus he tucked the monocle away and carried the cane sarcastically as he moved through the crowd, his mind set away trying to find someone who would know about this mysterious figure.

"Heya handsome" a beautiful lynx said to Thoice. She was wearing a full dress in a beautiful shade of red, and her skin was that of a pale white. But somehow, the dress made her seem otherworldly, almost like an angel in mortal flesh. Thoice looked her over for a second and smirked back. "_Well, tonight doesn't have to be boring…"_ he thought.

"Names Thoice, and what name did the heavens bless you with?" he said, as he bowed slightly and took her hand to plan a gentle kiss on it. She blushed a few shades and giggled her reply back.

"The name is Sierra, and my aren't you the romantic." She exclaimed, taken aback by Thoice's approach to the fine art of social interaction.

"Nonsense, a gem as bright as you deserves some extra attention" he playfully said, still casually panning the room for any thug-like party members. "So, may I ask if you are attended or not?" he said genuinely.

"Oh? Well… I'm the daughter of the museum curator…. So I am just here to give daddy a good impression with the kingpin… errr. I mean" she said, realizing she gave up more than she should of "Sorry, excuse me" she said, turning to get away from Thoice.

Thoice placed his hand on hers and turned her back to him and said "Sierra, don't worry. I don't care; let us just talk like adults. Business or whatever, that can be done later" he said calmly, trying to not impose his intent on seeing how much she knew.

"Oh… well… if you insist" she said, blushing back. "Why are you here?" she said, beginning a topic.

"Why, I just love a piece of art as much as the next fine-learned scholar" he said earnestly "Which begs the question, is a piece of your work framed in these glorious halls?"

"Funny you should mention" she said, as she took his hand and lead him around the corner of one of the corridors and showed him a giant portrait of the city. "I painted this forever ago" she said, blushing as she said so.

"My, well it certainly is impressive" he said honestly, as he gazed over its detail. He noticed there seemed to be a pattern weaved through the picture "Sierra, there seems to be a … pattern of some sort inside your piece of art" he said casually.

"Oh that? I just wanted to try something new out…" she said nervously, as if Thoice hit a tender spot.

"Let me guess, kingpin again?" he teased as he took one last look at the picture and looked at her. She nodded her head to his guess. "Sierra, you seem to be living in fear of this man. What if I was to tell you I was here to meet this man tonight?" he said to her.

"I'd say you were a fool. This man is ruthless as he is corrupt. Or at least… that is what my dad said… before…." She said, tears pooling under her eyes "before they took him" she exclaimed, as she lost her control and a few tears streamed down her face.

"Aw, Sierra. Don't cry." Thoice said, as he reached out with his hand and used his thumb to swipe away her tears. "I'm here to help. You know where this man is?" he asked calmly.

"Yes… but Thoice… I don't want the same fate to happen to you…." She said, blushing as she had tears rimming her eyes.

"Sierra, I can handle myself. I may not look it, but I am a … sort of expert in this" he said, as he took her arm and walked her outside the exit door into the alleyway.

"Thoice… I feel like I'm… falling for you" she said, looking into his eyes "And I don't want these people to hurt you" she said, hugging him closely.

"Sierra… let me help" he whispered back, thinking of what to do with her after he got the information.

"Take me for a walk, and I'll tell you what I know" she said calmly, as she looked at him with a clear face.

Thoice and Sierra went to the nearby park, and the rain had let up whereas the moon seemed to only add the unnatural glow to everything in the park. They walked next to each other, and remained silent for a few minutes.

"_How am I going to extract anything from her? And still protect her in the end?"_ he questioned himself, realizing he was starting to have feelings for her.

"Thoice…" she said, finally breaking their silence. "I was placed there waiting for you, so that I could lead you to the kingpin and he could kill you." She said, and Thoice smirked hearing that "Please, don't enjoy that. This man wants to kill those Liberty League people, and he would have found all about them through you. I protected them by saving you" she said, trying to sound as noble as possible.

"Sierra, please. Like I said before, I know what I'm doing. This kingpin figure needs to be toppled, so take me too him" he said, calmly yet coolly.

"Thoice… I can't. I feel like there is a connection between us… and I don't want to lose you to him" she said yet again.

"Sierra…" he said, as he stopped and looked right at her "I promise I'll be fine" he said, as he hugged her. His hand slipped into his pocket and grabbed a small needle laced with a special compound designed to weaken people's ability to hide the truth. He cut her back carefully, and the poison seeped inside as he whispered in her ear "Let's have a seat and we can talk… just casually" he lied to her.

She said yes, and he led her back to her house. They went into the main room of the estate, and there was a fancy living room. Complete with stone-brick fireplace and red velvet couches. There was a large bear-skin rug on the floor, almost seeming angry at Thoice for entering the room, and it's eyes seemed to glimpse into the future and feel sad. The room had a rustic feel to it, full of large book cases and end tables sporting vases and beautiful cases of scotch and the finest glasses for such. He sat her down on the couch next to him and they just talked casually for a bit, taking the beauty of the room in with her every word.

"Thoice… as the night grows on… I feel like I can trust you more and more" she said, the poison making her looser in her secrets.

"That means a lot to me Sierra" he replied "But I really need to know where this bad man is. So can you tell me where the Kingpin is?" he asked nicely, as he stroked her hair.

"Your white hair is just so attractive…" she said, looking up at him. She reached into her pocket and handed him a piece of paper "Just follow the directions sweetheart" she said, as she passed out on the couch.

"I am sorry Sierra, but too many lives are at stake" he said to her body. He bent over and kissed her brow as he walked out the door. He read the note, and on it was an address. He followed the address to a building, a large complex to be exact. It appeared to be a warehouse, named 'A-7'. He walked in through the main door and saw the entire place was empty.

"Damn, did she lie to me?" he said to himself, as he looked around to find something. There was a door in the back, so he walked over and opened it to see a stairwell that lead down stairs. He followed it down.

He soon was in a large cave-like system, the walls had torches on them for light and the ground was nothing else but dirt. He walked for a few minutes till he came to a large room. There were a few thugs walking back and forth, loading crates up in a pile. A few of the thugs had swords belted to their sides, and a couple carried a mace or an axe. Thoice looked around to see if there was a kingpin anywhere, and saw a room off in the back. He knew where to go.

He slipped into a nearby room and found a few outfits hanging up on the wall. "_Just my luck"_ he grinned as he grabbed the outfits and dressed up like the thugs. He rubbed some dirt into his white fur and grabbed a sword and fastened it to his belt. And he grabbed a small knife and slipped it into the back of his belt, knowing that he would rely on it for the combat he would be fighting. He walked out of the room and managed to sneak his way into the line of thugs.

He carried a few crates with them and helped stack them up, slowly learning the room and figuring out what to do. He saw that there was a room marked 'Officers only' in the back, which he had to know more about it. He slipped off from the crowd and went into the door to find a gas heater. He grinned as he lit a match, knowing this would solve his problem of having to fight. He put the match on the edge of the tank and walked out.

He managed to sneak back into the crowd of thugs, to which he thought this was all too easy, and helped to carry some more crates. In a matter of a few minutes and explosion happened.

**BOOM!**

And the door was thrown off the hinges and crushed three thugs. The rest freaked out and ran around in chaos trying to figure what just happened. Thoice used the chaos to sneak over to the door he noticed much sooner, and to his surprise, the door was unlocked. He let himself in and hugged the wall as he begun to walk down a nicely paved corridor.

"Man, this is a far too easy mission" he said to himself, as the lights flickered above him and the corridor seemed to stretch on for what seemed a lifetime. Finally he reached the end, and he opened the door and walked inside.

There was a large bear sitting down in a desk and two rabbits standing next to the desk. The rabbits had their ears slightly torn off, one had an eye patch. The both carried a small fire arm and a melee weapon. The rabbit on the left had a sword and the other rabbit had an axe. The both were dressed in suits, one green and the other blue. The room had a homey feel to it, like a room for an important CEO.

"Ah, yes. Thoice is it?" the bear asked. "Don't be alarmed, I've been waiting for you all night. Sierra was supposed to pass that information to you much sooner…" he digressed as the rabbits fidgeted with their weapons, both pointing a gun at Thoice.

"So I take it you're the kingpin, eh?" Thoice said calmly, as he took notice of his surroundings. Thinking back to the bearskin rug in Sierra's room and cursing himself for not connecting that sooner.

"Guilty. The name is Edgar Axel, but you can call me Eddy" the bear said, pouring himself a glass of scotch. "So, I think we both know I have to kill you. But let us be civilized for a few minutes" he said as he took a drink.

"A villain who is polite, I must have fallen down the rabbit hole" Thoice joked, as the rabbits flinched at a mention of their race "I am here to kill you, yes. But I want to know why you think I shouldn't." Thoice said calmly.

"Oh, I won't argue. But I'm curious." Edgar admitted "Why aren't you scared of their guns? Most people would be begging for me to spare them at this point" Edgar asked as he took another drink.

"Because they won't hit me. Come on Eddy, we both know I'm here for a reason. They want you to die, and I'm the guy to do it" Thoice said, taking a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting a match to it as he took a puff. He coughed at the smoke and threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped on it. "Sorry Eddy, I wanted to try something new. I guess I'll never get used to that" he laughed.

"You certainly are a character, I'm only sorry it's under these circumstances…." Edgar said apologetically as he nodded to the rabbits. They flicked the safety on their guns and aimed at Thoice. "Like I said, you have to die. Nothing personal" Edgar said.

"None taken" Thoice said, as he grabbed his knife in his belt loop. "Just don't cry when things turn against you" he said, as he threw the knife at the rabbit on the left. The knife embedded itself into the rabbits head, and he fell back, squeezing a round out his gun into the other rabbit, which fell over dead firing a round to the left of Thoice.

"Damn it! Those two were my closest men" Edgar cursed.

"Before I kill you too, I need to know why." Thoice said, walking up to the desk. "Why kill innocent people in the streets? What does that accomplish?"

"Innocent? Innocent!" Edgar shouted "There are no innocent people in this city! It is a seedy hell where sin and lust live freely. Those so called 'Liberty League' are nothing more than a hopeful group of freaks that want to be the ones in power. By killing me, you won't be any closer to saving this city!" Edgar said powerfully.

Thoice laughed at the bear's accusation "Eddy! I don't care. This isn't my city anymore than it is yours. Let it be a hell. I was asked to kill you, and that is literally all I care about. I'll live at peace afterwards. Between you and me, I'm done with this life. I just want to be able to sit in my kitchen, enjoy a cup of tea and not have to be sent out to end lives anymore. It really tires one out" Thoice admitted, gesturing at the bear to get up.

"You will regret mocking me!" the bear swore, as he knocked over his desk and leapt at Thoice. Thoice rolled out of the way and swung a kick into the bear's back. Edgar roared in pain and turned to Thoice, unsheathing his claws and swinging madly at him.

"_Christ, this bear has me out classed done in both weight and strength. If he can land just one good hit on me, I could be done"_ Thoice grinned, as he dodged and placed his left hand into his left pocket. He fumbled in the large space to find a small vial in there. He pulled it out and rolled behind Edgar during a reckless charge made at Thoice. In that exact moment where Edgar's back looked back, Thoice took the vial and dipped his left claw into the solution. He then put the vial back and rushed in to engage Edgar in combat.

"Brave, or very foolish!" Edgar roared as he swung down at Thoice, who sidestepped the swing and slashed at the bear's ribs with his left claw. The poison seeped into the bear's body, and Thoice rolled away to avoid being swung at anymore.

Thoice then leaned against the wall and looked back at Edgar and said "Poor Eddy, your done" he said, wishing that he could smoke the cigarette now.

"You fool! It would take more than one hit to bring me down!" the bear roared as he stepped towards Thoice, his left foot crumbling under him as he hit the floor. "What! What is happening to me!" The bear demanded.

"That, is me. I poisoned you with my claw. You have roughly thirty seconds of life left after it hit your heart, so enjoy the last few minutes of your life." Thoice said, as he walked over to the bear to watch the effects.

"You… may of …. Gotten me…." The bear struggled to say, his breathing becoming more and more ragged and his limbs falling limp to the floor "But… I'm …. Not …. The…. Last" he said, as he passed into the beyond, a peaceful look taking his face while at the same time, looking horrified as if he had seen the gates to hell.

"_Wonder what that meant?"_ Thoice asked himself, as he rummaged through Edgar's suit for any Intel, taking the mental imagery of Edgar's distorted face to memory. He found a note in there with an address on it, and a picture of some lynx tied to a chair. "Oh yeah, Sierra had a father. Let's go get him… I guess" Thoice said, as he took to the door to walk out of there.

A few minutes passed, and Thoice found himself back on the city's streets, with one kingpin's corpse decomposing below him. He had begun to walk down the street to a run-down building complex, which matched the address on his note. He walked in the door and looked around. The place looked like it had been abandoned for years, "No sign of really anyone. Still, worth a look I guess" he said as he walked up the staircase.

He walked into a few rooms, but they all were torn down and beaten rooms. He had given up finding anything as he opened the last door. There, on a decomposed bed, was a corpse. It had skeletonized, but he could tell it was a lynx. He felt a tear forming in his eye, knowing he would have to tell Sierra that he found her father dead. "_But… then again, how do I know it is him?"_ he asked himself, as he walked over to the clothed skeleton. He looked in its shirt pocket and found a picture of Sierra, but the picture crumbled into dust as soon as he figured that out. "Damn, how long had he been dead?" Thoice said, as he grabbed some heart-shaped locket out of the corpse's hand. He opened the locket and saw a picture of some female lynx, who Thoice assumed was Sierra's mother. Beneath her was a date, showing that she had been dead for some time.

"Romantic, but sadly useless. I guess I'll go break the news to Sierra and then I can tell the Liberty League that I'm done with this gig." He said hopefully, as he left the room. He turned back at the door way and shed a tear for the dead man, having felt that he wanted nothing more than to be a good father, and Thoice cherished the man's memory. He then left the building and went back to Sierra's estate.

He went into the main room and found that Sierra had awoken and sat there watching the fireplace. Her ears pivoted back and she turned to look at Thoice. Tears were still visible on her face, and it looked like she had been crying for some time. "THOICE!" she cried out, as she ran over to him and gave him a hug "I thought I had lost you!" she said, her tears freely flowing from her as she held him close.

"Sierra…." He said calmly "I told you nothing bad was going to happen to me…." He said, knowing that this night was only going to get rougher. "Can we sit down, I've been exerting myself a fair bit today" he joked and they sat down.

"So, tell me what happened handsome" she teased, as she sat there with her legs crossed as she looked right at him with innocent and hopeful eyes.

"Well… I killed the kingpin Edgar. And then I found he had a note in his pocket… so I followed the lead and well… I found your father…" Thoice said, with his heart sinking at what was about to happen.

"You did! Where is daddy?" she said hopefully, almost jumping up with joy.

"You never told me how long they had him…." Thoice said "He was nothing more than a skeleton when I found him. In his hand was this…" Thoice said as he reached into his pocket and handed the locket to Sierra. She opened it and looked at the picture and she looked like she had just been shot. Her eyes widened, and then tears formed over the edge. She then lost it and started to bawl crying to her mother and father, completely beyond reconcile.

Thoice just sat there, not quite sure what to do. He let her cry for a few minutes while he sat there thinking about the kingpin's last words. Finally Sierra stopped crying and said "…Thank you Thoice…. At least now I can live in peace" she said, a grin showed on her face for a second covered by a new stream of tears.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save him…" Thoice said, not sure what else to say. "You want to talk about them?" he asked.

"No… you don't need to know about them. Just thank you Thoice. You're a good friend" she said, as she got up and walked over to him. She gave him a hug and then wore the locket.

"Looks good on you" Thoice said, trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah… it was my mother's…. But after she died, dad wore it in remembrance of her. And now that dad is dead…. Well" she said, almost sad that she seemed to be predicting what happens next.

The next few hours passed, they drank together and chatted in happy topics, all in memory of those who had died. Thoice drank only water, while Sierra drank some red wine the entire night, seeming to be less pale with each glass. They laughed and told jokes to each other until the wee hours in the morning.

"Well… it has been great Sierra, but I have to go contact the Liberty League… I will see you around though" he said, as he hugged her good bye and left.

"Don't be a stranger now, ya hear!" she called out, as she went inside and closed the door.

Time passed, and Thoice finally entered the secret base of the Liberty League. A large red squirrel sat behind a desk and a turtle and a fox stood in the room. They greeted him, and Thoice told them what he had done.

"Well done Thoice. I mean, really! Well done. Maybe now we can save this city!" The squirrel said, happiness pouring out of his words. The turtle and fox also cheered, Thoice said that it was nothing and then left.

He walked down the street, the sun just starting to peak up over the horizon. Sleep finally seemed to eat away at Thoice. He found an inn and checked in to a room and sat on his bed.

"Well, at least I can work on clearing my conscious now…" he said, thinking about the lives he ended tonight and the friendship he made with Sierra. He lay in bed, and passed into dreamland.

**3 years later**

Thoice awoke in his small cottage outside the city, where he had been alone from civilization for about three years now. He and Sierra had become close friends since then. The Liberty League had been working around the clock to clean the city, and it showed. The city was actually somewhere that people were proud to call home. Crime was at an all time low, and people were happy for once.

A knock wrapped at his door, so Thoice walked over and opened the door. Sierra stood there wearing a lovely blue dress and had a white umbrella over her.

"Aw, Thoice. You said you'd be ready by now" she chastised him.

"Wait… what?" he said, looking at his watch. "Oh snap! Sorry, I overslept." He said, and invited Sierra in. "Please, make yourself at home. I'll be ready in a sec." he said, running off to the bedroom. He hoped into the shower and quickly got ready for the day, and got dressed and met her back in the living room.

Sierra was there looking at the pictures of them on the counter. She had insisted on them taking pictures as their friendship grew. And three years of their friendship showed on the counter in eight distinguished pictures of them. Thoice's favorite was the one of the two of them kissing as the sun set over a hill. They were next to a tree, and had Sierra's friend Sammy take the picture.

"Come on, Sammy is waiting" she said, as she gave him a kiss. The two then walked outside, she opened her umbrella back up to protect herself from the sun, for she had very sensitive skin. The two then walked back to town. Sammy had been waiting on them for a few weeks to come back, Sammy being the leader of the Liberty League. Although Thoice technically wasn't a member, Sierra was and he often used Sierra to get Thoice to help them from time to time.

"Look, Sierra. I really don't want to go on another mission. The kingpin murder was the last time I want to kill anyone" he said, having grown a pacifistic nature since then. Memories of Edgar coughing up his last words still haunted Thoice in his dreams, and he had been carefully trying to forget his past.

"Don't worry Thoice, Sammy just wants to reward you for what you have done for the city" she said, as she made him pick up the pace to the city. They reached the mayor's residence in a few minutes and went inside.

A pair of armed foxes were at the door, their guns held in their hands. They looked and noticed Thoice and Sierra and let them pass, as they were very well known. The two went up the staircase to the main room. Sammy sat behind a podium, and he saw Thoice and got up to say.

"Greeting hero, and of course greetings to you Sierra. The two of you still look cuter with each passing day" he teased to them, having been one to frequently suggest that the two date.

"What do you want Sammy?" Thoice said, hating the squirrel for mentioning that again. Thoice had wanted to date Sierra for a little over a year now, but Sierra wasn't ready for commitment. She still was sad from the loss of her family and she valued Thoice as a friend too much. Still, she gave him a kiss on his birthday, which Thoice was able to look at every morning in the picture.

"Thoice, no surprise. I need you to do one last thing for us. Turns out there is a faction of the old kingpin's men moving around. They want to cite a rebellion, and I need you to quell them." Sammy had begun said.

"No." Thoice interjected.

"What Thoice means to say is that he will think about it" Sierra said quickly, nudging Thoice in the arm.

"Look Thoice, they have some crazed hedgehog as their leader. He named himself 'Toppler' as a warning to us that he is going to topple the estate." Sammy said worriedly.

"And I told you Sammy, I was done after Edgar. I don't want to kill again" Thoice said.

"I really didn't want to have to pull this card…" Sammy said, as he grabbed an envelope and slid it across the table to Thoice.

Thoice grabbed the envelope and looked inside, and saw some documents and most importantly a picture. It was of a male lynx. He seemed to be bloodied and bruised, but very much so alive.

"Who is this?" Thoice swore at Sammy.

"That…" Sammy begun to say as Sierra looked over Thoice's shoulder.

"FATHER!" she exclaimed, grabbing the picture from Thoice. Thoice looked at Sammy with murder in his eyes.

"Why would you show me that?" Thoice demanded.

"Because… he lives." Sammy said, as Sierra looked up at Sammy. "Their leader sent us that picture as a way to get to you. He wants to avenge Edgar's death… and that would mean you. He is willing to trade you for the lynx" Sammy said cautiously.

"… Thoice? I love and miss my dad dearly… but please…" Sierra begun to say.

"I'll do it. Where do I have to go?" Thoice said, as Sierra interjected but he silenced her.

"Go to where you killed Edgar, they will be waiting for you there" Sammy said, and Sierra had tears rolling down her eyes as she followed Thoice out of the building, begging him not to do it.

"Please Thoice, your life isn't worth my father's. You are something the people worship around here… and I would miss you too much!" she said, among other things. After a few minutes of letting her vent, Thoice finally said.

"Sierra. I want to. I'm tired of living with the guilt of murder in my head. And getting your father back, that will only make my sacrifice that much better" he said, as he quickly injected her with a sleeping poison. She cursed him as she slumped against the wall. Thoice carried her into the nearby building, and asked the resident to watch over here. He then went to the caves where he ended his last life.

Thoice walked past the torches and dirt floor, past the room with the giant explosion still in the wall, and down the corridor towards the room where he killed Edgar. He opened a door and sitting there, on a chair was a hedgehog.

The hedgehog was green with a cut across his face. He was wearing a suit, nothing too fancy but still better dressed than Thoice thought he would be. He had a sword on his belt and he stood up as Thoice walked in. In the corner was a lynx tied to the wall with his mouth gagged. Thoice recognized it as Sierra's father, after seeing so many pictures from Sierra over the years.

"So, you're the man who killed Edgar. My pupil. I thought you would be… I dunno, more menacing?" the hedgehog teased.

"What you see is what you get. Now free the lynx and take me." Thoice said, willing to die.

"Oh… ya see. I decided why not strike two birds down with one stone" the hedgehog said, as he threw a knife into the lynx. The knife hit the lynx right in the neck, where the lynx gurgled as blood seeped out of his neck. In one of the most painful looking deaths ever, the lynx slowly died. His arms and legs flailing as the blood poured out of the neck. His eyes shot wildly around the room and he could only gurgle. In his last few seconds of life, he looked at Thoice and his eyes seemed to say "I'm sorry" as he died.

"Now that he is done, I want to kill you. You know an eye for an eye and all that" the hedgehog said as he pulled his sword out.

"You. What is your name?" Thoice asked calmly, feeling the anger and rage flow through him.

"Oh me? I am Nigel. And I am the last thing you'll see" Nigel teased as he played with his sword.

"When I killed Edgar, I was saddened by the death. I murdered a man in a painful way, and for some reason I felt that I killed the wrong man. His death haunted me in my dreams for several years now. I almost regret what I did. But you… you I won't mind killing." Thoice said as he took out a vial and clearly dipped his claws in it. "If I cut you even once, you can share the same death Edgar took" Thoice said venomously, as Nigel seemed a little worried.

"But you'd have to hit me" the hedgehog teased, as he rushed towards Thoice at a blinding speed. Thoice rolled out of the way and swung where the hedgehog should have been, but wasn't. Nigel was on the other side of the room laughing. "You'll never hit me if you swing that slow" he laughed as he rushed at Thoice to attempt to cut him again.

Thoice swore and begun dodging Nigel with every swing and attempting to lay just one cut into his enemy. Time passed, and Thoice was starting to tire. Nigel only seemed to get faster as time passed. "_I have to end this soon, or else I die for nothing"_ Thoice thought frantically. The idea hit him and he realized what he had to do.

Nigel rushed towards Thoice yet again, and instead of dodging, Thoice threw his body into the blade. He felt the sword cut straight threw him, but in that action Thoice swung with both his claws and hacked away at Nigel's body. The blood poured fiercely from Nigel, who kicked away from Thoice as Thoice hit the ground on his knees. The blood poured out of his chest, and his breathing becoming ragged. His eyes flickered as the blood loss made him tired, and the room grew dark.

"F*ck! You son of a b*tch!" Nigel swore, as he limped towards Thoice wanting to cut him again. "At least you die with me, you ugly f*ck! I poisoned my blade just as well." Nigel smirked as he hit the ground and died from the rapid spread of the poison. A twisted smile on the dead hedgehog's face.

"Oh… I'm not …. Dying from …. You" Thoice said, as he took out a bottle and dripped its contents into his wound. The pain blinded him and he screamed from the pain, and lay back as he blacked out from the pain. The vial shattered against the floor.

**THOICE!**

Thoice looked around and saw he was lying on the floor still, but he was alive. He looked at his wound. The bleeding seemed to of long stopped and was all clotted up. He felt incredibly weak and looked over to see Nigel still lying there, dead and smiling. The sight almost haunted him.

"Thoice, oh my! You're alive!" Sierra cried as she kneeled next to him and helped him sit up. She hugged him and said "I thought you were dead!" as she cried into him.

"I…" he coughed some blood up "…I said I wouldn't die so easily" he said. As she laughed at his stubbornness. She helped him up and the two walked over to the wall. Thoice leaned against it.

"Wait…" he said, his mind finally putting pieces together as he watched Sierra walk over to her slain father and shed some tears to the figure. She then walked over to Nigel and stabbed him with his own sword. "Sierra… how do you know where I was?" Thoice asked.

"Never mind that, we need to get going. Nigel had a backup plan in case you lived!" she said, as she grabbed him and lead him into a back door in the back of the room. The two walked through the tunnel, while Thoice tried to piece this together.

"I was so worried when they sent Nigel after you, and yet you stubbornly went after him. Also, you f*cking drugged me again" she said angrily, shooting him a venomously look.

"Look, Sierra… I'm sorry" he said, coughing up some more blood. "But… still. How do you know all this?" he asked.

"I said never you mind. I'm just trying to help you live. And you won't in your condition. Here, lets rest here." She said, as they came into a clearing. She helped Thoice down to the ground and he lay there just trying to stay conscious.

"Do you trust me?" she asked him with her innocent eyes.

"Sierra… I always have" he admitted. She reached into his inner jacket pocket and grabbed one of his needles.

"Then, understand how sorry I am for this" she said, as she stabbed him in the stomach.

"Sierra!" he said, as his eyes grew heavy. The sedative was surging throughout his body.

"I'm sooo sorry Thoice!" she cried to him, tears rolling off her face as he passed out.

**BOOM!**

An explosion happened and Thoice quickly sat up. Sierra was across from him, next to a hole in the wall. They had apparently managed to set an explosion up in the wall, and then she looked over to Thoice.

"Good you're awake. I was worried I might have to carry you" she teased as she walked over to help him up.

"Uhm… yeah thanks" he said, still dazed. Some hunger seemed to claw away at him, but he dismissed it and looked around. "Sierra… what are we doing?"

"We are escaping silly" she said, as she kissed his cheek and pulled him along with her through the door she made.

Thoice followed her, as he inspected his wound. He seemed to of fully healed, whereas Sierra seemed to have a slight limp in her step.

"Sierra, are you hurt?" he asked.

"Oh, what? No… probably just got hit by the explosion" she said distractedly.

"Oh… well what about me. I didn't know you knew first aid" he admitted.

"I dabbled…." She said "Thoice, I just don't want to lose you." She said.

"I told you, you won't" he said to her, and she smiled and said that they needed to pick up the pace. So they made a faster pace. A few hours passed, Thoice was starving, but he didn't bring anything up.

"Ok, I think we are here" she said, as she opened a door in front of her. They walked out to see a sea cove. The ocean was rolling into this cove, and it seemed very peaceful. There was the beautiful sea water lining up into the cove, rolling into the far reach in the back. The smell of the sea water gave the entire cove a salty smell, the same as a sailor would be well accustomed to. There was a carefully lined walkway up to the left that seemed to of been here for years before.

They were about a good mile up above the sea, and it was a thin walkway. The light had all but illuminated the cove, as the reflection of the moon seemed to shine from the water, given Thoice the faint impression of the physical structure of the cove. She walked up the left path and pulled Thoice with her.

"Sierra… where are we?" he asked.

"Never you mind" she said, and had him follow her as his mind buzzed with questions.

They got up to a small cottage off in the corner in the cave, she got Thoice inside.

"Ok, Sierra. Seriously. You need to talk to me. You found me in a place I never told you, then you lead me into a place I never knew and now we are down by the sea in some safe house. What is up?" he exclaimed.

"This was my dad's safe house… and it is somewhere Nigel's men don't know of" she said plainly.

"Fine, I'll let that slide. But how do you know about Nigel's men or what they know?" he asked.

"Because I was working with them…" she said sadly. "They had my father… remember Thoice!" she exclaimed.

"I remember I saw him die too" Thoice said, feeling sick from the memory.

"Well Nigel said that if I worked with him, that he would give me my father back. Well… time passed and he hadn't given dad back. But he learned of you through me… "She said as Thoice shot her an angry look "I'm sorry! Nigel cleverly manipulated me" she said with tears forming up.

'Fine! Whatever. So let me guess, he told you to lead me down there so he could kill me. You said no, and then when Sammy got around to it, you wanted me to not because you knew what would happen. I was to stubborn, and what happened, happened. Am I right?" Thoice deduced. She shook her head up and down to signify a yes. "Fine, I can live with that. I'm sorry Sierra" he said as he hugged her.

They hugged for a few minutes on the couch and then Sierra excused herself from him and went to the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of wine and poured to glasses. She brought them back. "Here, drink this" she offered him one. Thoice took it and looked at it.

"You know I don't drink, right?" he said to her.

"I know, just trust me though. Please?" she asked.

"Fine, this once. But then I want some more answers" he said.

"Anything, I promise." She said.

Thoice took a drink and energy flushed through his body. He felt awake and as if he had a full night's sleep. His body felt at a hundred percent. "Whoa! What is in this stuff!" he said as he finished it.

"Secret family recipe" she teased, as she drank her glass.

"Fine, you can keep that secret. But you're going to talk about this whole deceitful thing." He said, his eyes getting heavy.

"Usually you'd be right. But you need some sleep first. Again… I'm sooooo incredibly sorry" she said as he blacked out again on the couch.

**Wake up!**

Sierra yelled at Thoice, as he awoke on the couch. She was panicking around the room, grabbing some guns and ammo. "Oh thank god your awake, I need you to help. Nigel's men are right outside. We need to fight them for our survival." She said.

"Uhm… yeah sure" he said, shaking himself awake and getting up. "I wish you'd stop drugging me" he said.

"Yeah, well now we are even" she smiled back as she handed him a gun.

"Do we have to?" he asked, the weapon of death sitting in his hand.

"I wish there was another way" she said to him, as she handed him a few bullets. "You know how to fire a rifle right?" she asked.

"Unfortunately" he admitted, as he loaded the weapon and stuffed the ammo in his pocket.

"Now let us finally earn our freedom" she said, opening the window and aiming down the path at the mass of troops.

"Sierra… those seem to be …. Wearing Liberty League outfits" Thoice said, seeing them.

"Thoice, they are disguised. Nigel was planning on sneaking them into the capital to take over, but now they want revenge" she said starting to shoot them.

"But what if they aren't!" Thoice reasoned, smacking Sierra's gun out of her hand.

"Thoice, trust me" she said, as she kissed him and then grabbed her gun. She started shooting at the troops, who started to shoot back as they ran up to the cottage.

Thoice stood there, dumbstruck by the kiss, and then trusting her he used his gun and started shooting at the targets.

Time passed and Thoice and Sierra were out of ammo, and the incoming army still had a fair number of them left.

"Thoice, follow me!" Sierra said, as she went out the side door, Thoice ran after her and the two ran across the cavern around the water.

"Sierra, do you have a plan?" Thoice asked her.

She looked at him with sad eyes and then looked forward and kept running. "_That is never good"_ Thoice thought.

Behind them a large explosion happened at the cottage, sending pieces of the haven across the cove, lightening the entire place up in the gruesome color of red and orange, giving Thoice the impression he had passed from the eternal plain into the pits of Hell, but as he saw Sierra ahead of him he was able to reassure himself that he was very much still alive.

They got the end of the cove's path, looking right at a large pile of rocks that seemed to be teasing them that there was a safe place only behind them. Sierra grabbed and hugged Thoice.

"Sierra, we can still go on. I see a passageway behind you" Thoice said, seeing a trail behind her, lined next against the rocks.

"Thoice… I haven't been true the entire time. I've had to put on an act around you for the last three years… so I'm just going to come clean. Those were Liberty League members." She said, as Thoice pushed himself away from her in disgust. "Thoice, please, there is more. My father died, as you saw. But you saw him the first time. He died many years ago. Well before I meet you. I killed him." She said.

"Sierra…" Thoice said, as he stood on the ledge of the walkway that overlooked the sea.

"I killed him for initiation. My mother died before from illness, and my father was a bad man. He was a terrible father and unfortunately my only family. I killed him to gain entrance into the crime syndicate. Soon I worked my way up from a thug to a captain." She said, almost rushing to tell Thoice as much as she can, while fresh tears pooled under her eyes.

"But why Sierra?" Thoice said, his memories wanting to fight against everything she said.

"I had no choice. I needed freedom and power" she said "By the time the Liberty League hired you, I was used as the piece to kill you. But I meet you at the party and I couldn't help but fall in love with you" she said, blushing as she went to her past. Thoice blushed as well, but his anger and confusion quickly took over.

"So why not just kill me then!" he asked in anger.

"I loved you from first sight. I spent most of the night trying to get you to give up your mission so nothing would happen. You drugged me and got what you needed from me, but I was only following my orders from that point. I gave you the location to where you were suppose to die. But I was hoping the entire time you wouldn't die. I was going to follow you in there and help you… but your damn poison kept me from helping…" she said, but he didn't quite believe the last part. A part of Thoice felt she was telling him most of the truth, but there was something she clearly wasn't saying.

"What about your father's corpse I found afterwards!" Thoice asked.

"That was his body… yes. Edgar always found that picture of him tied up before his death to be a way to remind himself that I was a killer. That night he had that on his pocket, as well as the address of where I killed my father because he was going to move the base of operations there after they killed you." She admitted.

"Ok, and after I killed the kingpin?" Thoice asked.

"Then I became kingpin…" she admitted. "I used my connection to work with Nigel, as a way to topple those Liberty League members. But I also used you as a way to gain their trust. All while resisting falling in love with you… but in the end I couldn't" she said, crying as she blushed.

"Ok, so you lured me to kill Nigel why?" he demanded.

"Because Nigel wanted to kill you. I was hoping you would say no to such a ridiculous trade… but you didn't. You were being honorable and good, a reason I love you. I meant to stop you, but you drugged me from helping you again…" she said, still it sounded like she was only telling part of the truth.

"Ok… and so why didn't Nigel kill me?" he asked

"Oh he tried. He used poison on his blade to kill you, and he had his uncanny speed. But he knew you wouldn't fight him unless provoked. So he murdered a look alike of my father to get your rage, but unfortunately your rage was too much for him. He died and my loose end was tied up. I ran down there to get you so we start a life together as members in the city." She admitted, smiling for a minute while she thought about it "But, upon seeing your condition and what happened… I realized we would never be able to live together. So I helped you flee with me. But you were dying from the fight…." She said remorsefully.

"So, you killed your own father. Why should my life be any better!" he said heatedly, torn between loving her and hating her.

"I actually loved you, unlike my father. So I slipped you some of your own poison to yourself and cured you from death" she said bluntly, failing to extrapolate any further. "Then I sent a message ahead to prepare some transport for you…" she said, her story gaining massive plot holes.

"Ok…. What transport" he nervously asked, unsure what power she had now.

"I then lead you down the secret tunnel to my family's special cove" she said, ignoring his question "We hid out at our special cottage. Unfortunately, the Liberty League figured our trail out to fast and we had to flee" she said.

"What was that wine you gave me?" Thoice demanded, remembering the power of the wine.

"And now here we are my love." She said ignoring him again, as she walked up to him. "I've always loved you Thoice, do you love me?" she asked

"Damn it Sierra…. I don't know right now" he said angrily "Up until about five minutes ago, I loved you unconditionally… but now learning about what you did… I'm a little…." He said as she leaned in and kissed him.

Their tongues danced over each other and she held him close and he returned the gesture. Their passion was unmatched, and Thoice felt as if he was leaving his body with the bliss that filled him. He didn't even care how much she betrayed him at this point, everything was just perfect. As they kissed and held each other, Sierra placed the locket into Thoice's hand, and he grabbed and held it dearly as he enjoyed the passion they shared between their beings.

"I'm so sorry love, but we can't be together" she said as she pulled away….

…And pushed him into the sea below.

"SIERRA!" Thoice yelled as he fell into the sea below, thoughts racing around his head. "_I love you so much Sierra"_ was the last thought that crossed his mind as he hit a steel coffin set floating in the water.

His body broke upon impact, but his hand never let go of the locket as it fell limp against his corpse. A large seal took a welding torch and welded the top of the coffin on, and then kicked the coffin out to sea, where it started to sink into the briny depths below. Then the seal leapt into the water and swam away from the cove.

Sierra looked down from the Cliffside, tears pouring down her face as she ran into the passageway behind her as the explosive charges went off and the passageway sealed off.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there it is. Done. Totaling almost 10,000 words... so my biggest chapter written, PERIOD so far. I have a forum link up and going, so if you want to contribute your own original character into the story please do. All my own rules and shiz are there... the link is on my profile page...<strong>

**ALSO, i have a poll on my profile page, it'd be lovely if you'd come by and visit it. Asides from that, i really can't ask for anything else. **

**Uhm, that aside, Rate and Review this work. If you love it, favorite it and such. I look forward to the feedback.**

**Love,**

**Steven 'ZiGeNaToR' Ziegler**


	2. Fate

**Author's note:**

**So here it is, chapter two. I'm still having someone else read it over and shiz... so i may make changes later. But as of now, i'm happy with how it looks & feels. Yes, it starts with a poem, that i invented SOLELY for plot reasons... and yes, i am not a poet. So, bare with me (you can skip over the poem, it won't kill ya). Anyways, working on Chapter 3 as you read this, and Chapter 23 for 'The Mobian Adventures'. I'll be updating my profile page for new 'SUMMARIES' and... yeah. As usual, i encourage community-driven support for this story, because i love the concept of 'Original Characters' (O.C.'s). The FULL information is avaiable via my profile page which leads you to my 'super-secret' forum. :D**

**P.S. Asides from the TITLE 'Fate' Read the rest of the story in bold, in order... it may give away chapter 3, it may not... what you got to lose? haha :D**

**-Enjoy the read**

* * *

><p><strong>Fate<strong>

"_There once was a man who lived a great long time ago, _

_ He was a killer as cruel as he was kind to those with pure of heart._

_ He wanted to free himself from life's cruel flow, _

_ But fate had one last act for him to play the part. _

_ He met a vixen who took his every thought in ecstasy, _

_ And he used her to find the man who killed all. _

_ He went to kill the man to save you and 'me, _

_ But the freedom of his conscious was all that was to fall. _

_ Years passed, and evil swept the land once more, _

_ The man wished to turn a new leaf but was forced to play his part once again. _

_ He slew the evil which soaked its blood into the floor, _

_ And nearly died from his own sin. _

_ The vixen found him and took him to safety, _

_ Curing him of his mortal mutilation. _

_ She took him to the edge and gave her truth's nativity, _

_ And sent him to his eternal tribulation._

_ And yet… he saved the mortal world from evil clothed as good, _

_ And roams the seas waiting till those of pure heart need him once more._

_ We pray to Thoice, savior of the innocent, and the most noble mortal to live."_

'_The Ballad of the Ocelot' preface_

** Thoice** awoke on an operating table, in a room that had machines of all sizes humming with precious sounds of gears being turned. The colors blinded him, that of red and grey everywhere with yellow accenting the walls. A large face of some circular man with a large moustache covered the bulk of the walls, and automated men walked in the room carrying utensils across the room. A large round man stood at the foot of Thoice's bed, wearing a red suit and bearing the same moustache as the paintings on the wall. The man had a balding head and the truest shade of blue sunglasses that covered his eyes.

"Who…. Who are you?" Thoice coughed up, feeling thirstier as he tasted the dryness in his voice. He could taste blood in his throat, and his body ached with the soreness of someone who had slept far too long.

"Why me? I am the glorious Doctor Ivo Robotnik, but you may call me Dr. Eggman. And I found your metal coffin deep within the sea. I have always been curious if the stories were true, but here we are." The man laughed as he took a look at a clipboard that was tied to Thoice's bed.

Thoice tried to sit up and noticed that he was shackled down to the bed "Dr? Why am I chained to the medical bed on which you must of cured me of my ailment? Surely a man as pure as you would have no reason to chain his patient?" Thoice questioned, looking to see how the man would react to his kindness.

"Oh stow the 'good boy' attitude Thoice. I know all about you" the man said as he walked over to Thoice's side and took a seat on a chair. "I know the lives you killed and I know the sin you carry. I also know that you are the most famed fighter for freedom to ever roam these lands. And I was hoping to enlist your help to save freedom once more" the man asked, looking sincere in his tone and facial reaction.

Thoice saw right through the manipulation but was quickly thrown into the past. He saw scores of figures fall over as they clutched their hearts. They all either coughing up their last bit of blood as they passed into the great beyond or clutching their bodies as they fell to the ground like a limp ragdoll. Thoice knew that it was he that killed them, and the sickness of watching the marionettes in his past dance their cruel macabre of a death made him sick. He knew he was a master of the art of subtle murder, using but only the finest of poisons brewed by his own hand.

**Remembered** the deathof a large bear, as it lay dying before him and the other memory of a green hedgehog dying with a smile rushed to his head. He screamed at the memories which tore away at his sanity, so much so that he tore away at the constraints on his arms to free his arms. Then, a reflexive behavior of reaching fetal position, he then grabbed his head and held is tightly as if only his arms had the power to force his head from exploding with the guilt-ridden memories. He curled up for a matter of minutes, silently crying to himself as he saw the figures die painfully, over and over again in his head. Finally he managed to suppress the memories again and took deep breaths as he held himself in fetal position.

"My, this is most interesting…" Eggman said, taking down notes as Thoice grabbed his head and tried to calm his breathing. A slight jingle rang in Thoice's ears and he saw that he was wearing a heart-shaped locket. He grabbed the locket but found it was impossible to open. "Doctor, what is this?" Thoice asked, looking around the room to figure how he would gain the upper hand in a fight if one was to break out.

"That old thing? It is just a locket that you were found with. I took the liberty of putting on you, for you seemed rather attached to it. But where are my manners, you have been out for sometime, I forget. Here allow me to explain what has happened in the world since you last remember" Eggman said as he got up and turned down the lights as a projector turned on and showed Thoice a map of the old city of Galextrium.

"This is Galextrium or at least an artist's take on what it may of looked like, but I don't have to remind you of this. You saved it from a powerful crime syndicate and left its fate to a radical group of rebels known as the 'Liberty League', who ended up causing the city's downfall." Eggman said, as Thoice's memories were wracked with images of Sammy the squirrel and foxes with guns and a turtle and a host of other critters, all wearing the same outfit with the double 'L' symbol.

"You disappeared roughly in the eighteen hundreds…" Eggman said, as he turned the slide to a large crater taking up the same place where Galextrium used to be. "While you were gone, the Liberty League rose to power and eventually subjugated the people to their rule. And it was a gloriously powerful kingdom, fraught with corruption and sin" The doctor said, a hint of a sadistic smile creeping on his face as he said, "By the mid-nineteen hundreds, a nuclear reactor went wrong and the entire city blew up, for as you see the Liberty League wanted to advance the scales of time in their favor, and begun to experiment with weapons of mass destruction. The entire town disappeared in one night, as the legends go." Eggman said as he looked at Thoice shed a tear at the memory of the people he once knew.

The next slide went up, showing a small town that was filling the crater in as houses starting to appear on the map. "As the turn of the century arrived, people moved here for the rich farm land and beautiful position near the sea for trade. They called it, 'Central City'." Eggman said, as Thoice stared at the map of what was once something he called home slowly evolving into something he no longer recognized.

"Doctor, are you saying I've been … gone for over a hundred years?" Thoice asked, as the realization of time finally hit him.

"Almost…" The doctor said, as he turned to the next slide. A large bustling city took its place, full of giant buildings and large streets and beautiful beaches. "The city became known as a metropolis by the world standards, and had parts added to it over time. 'Station Square', 'Emerald Beach' and the 'Mystic Ruins' to name a few" Eggman said, as he pointed the locations out as he named them.

"My god… all this over the beauty that was Galextrium…" Thoice said aloud, just thinking about his past and feeling sicker and sicker with some powerful thirst and the memories of the life he lived in Galextrium slowly ebbing and out of his head as he watched the same land adopt a new city.

"Yes, quite." Eggman said, as he turned the slide to a blue hedgehog who seemed to have a heroic smirk on his face. "This, is Sonic The Hedgehog" Eggman said with a grin hid under his moustache.

Thoice saw the hedgehog and the memory of the green hedgehog driving his sword through his chest caused Thoice's sternum to tense up in pain. Thoice grabbed his body and cried out in pain at the memory, as he then saw the memory of his claws sweep down on this hedgehog and watching the poor soul slowly fall down and die. Looking up only with a smile. "I … was remembering killing… a hedgehog once before…." Thoice said, as the memory shook him speaking directly to himself and Eggman in the same sentence.

"Yes, quite. Nigel, I believe. A member of the crime syndicate you killed. As history goes, he used some hostage to get you down there where he managed to drive his blade through you while you clawed him with a thick dosage of poison. The poor man died in a matter of seconds, and you found a way to cure yourself with some powerful poultice" the doctor praised Thoice.

"Yes… I remember that" as Thoice remembered the blinding pain of the liquid dropping onto his skin and how he blacked out from it.

"This hedgehog however, doesn't fight with a sword. He fights with speed alone and he aims to stop me from making the world a better place" Eggman said, feigning having tears roll down his face.

"Doctor, I'm sorry. Tell me about this … Sonic" Thoice said, looking right into the picture's green eyes with extreme dislike.

"This rebel looks to destroy my factories, where I build robots designed to help the people of this world lead better lives" The doctor said sympathetically. "He has harnessed the power of the Chaos Emeralds to destroy everything I slave over creating time and time again. If he isn't stopped, the world will be sent back into the dark ages!" Eggman cried out.

"The Gems of power?" Thoice said, referring to the Chaos Emeralds. "We hid those away many years ago to protect the world from their incredible power… If this foolish miscreant looks to use such power for unspeakable evil… Then I fear my rest from this sinful life may never be actualized" Thoice said, a sadness permeating from his voice as he longed to just end this life of murder once and for all.

"Yes, if only it was that easy. This insane hedgehog has a team of followers helping him to rule the world" Eggman said, turning the slide to a group picture. A pink, black and silver hedgehog respectively were seen in the picture. As well as an orange two-tailed fox, a red echidna and a lightly shaded purple cat. "These members of his order need to be stopped, if world peace is to exist" The doctor said earnestly.

"I see doctor… but unfortunately I don't remember myself right now…" Thoice said, getting up from his seat, swiping the restraints on his legs away with a careful swipe. "If you won't mind, I'd like to get some fresh air. From what you've told me, I've been asleep for many years… I hope you understand" Thoice said, reading the doctor's motives to cause a slew of murder in Thoice's name.

"Yes, feel free to walk to island. When you feel better come back, we have much to talk about." The doctor said, getting up and walking to the door.

"Wait… doctor. Before you go, tell me of my condition before I awoke." Thoice demanded with curiosity.

"Oddly enough, as the ancient story goes; you fell into a metal box to be protected from time until the world needed a hero. But the site you fell from would indicate that you'd be splattered into paste upon hitting such a box. And yet when I rescued you, well… you were as healthy as ever. Really… a miracle" the doctor said, turning and leaving the room.

"_Then why doesn't it feel like a miracle?"_ Thoice thought as he walked outside of the room and headed down a flight of stairs. He saw through the windows that the moon was out and its eerie glow pierced past the clouds, reflecting off the ocean's water. He opened up the main door and walked upon the soft sand of the beachhead, where the water rolled up against the shore in a futile effort to bring the land back to the sea.

He looked out and the memories slowly invaded his memories. He remembered being a hand for hire after stories of his alchemic prowess swept through the land; he remembered being a doctor to attempt to right the wrong in his past. He remembered being hired by the Liberty League to kill the kingpin, who was the large bear that died from Thoice's poison-soaked claws slicing through his chest. He remembered walking under the same eerie moon before, to a place to get information on this kingpin. He remembered spending many years in unexplainable happiness in the city of Galextrium, "_back when it was a city…"_ he thought as he watched the waves, matching the waves rolls into the shoreline with his bodies heaving to the tears falling from his eyes.

"I can't believe the 'Liberty League' would destroy the city they fought for… the city they made me fight for…." He cursed their name as he threw a rock into the sea. He then remembered the green hedgehog, and the fight that took place between them. The pain of the sword piercing his chest and the intense death he endured as the poultice was applied to his wound. "Then… I had to kill an evil and deranged hedgehog. Seems only fitting I'd be awoken again to kill yet another. When will these hedgehogs learn that as long as there is a breath in my lung, I will hunt them down to extinction" he said to the ocean, feeling that he was protecting someone he loved very dearly.

He remembered running down some secret passageway to escape an army, and he found sanctuary in an ocean's cove. He killed many more… and the rest is a blur to him. "WHY can't I remember!" he cursed the moon as he grabbed the locket hanging around his neck and held it dear to him, as if the locket seized a plethora of happy feelings that only he could leech through his hand.

"Guess I should pay the kind doctor a visit…" he said, looking up at the moon with some thirst craving away at his gut. "I just don't believe anything he had told me so far. Why would any one man with his resources want to help the world? Seems that he wants me to kill this hedgehog and his friends to secure his place in history…. But that hedgehog rubs me the wrong way…" Thoice said, realizing he was being bias on the hedgehog's fate. He didn't know anything other than what the doctor had told him about the hedgehog, and yet he strongly disliked this creature.

Thoice walked up the flights of stairs to a large room where the doctor was sitting as if waiting for Thoice to return. Gears turned to a calm beat and the red and grey paint patterend splattered all over the room. A large viewing window was behind the doctor, giving someone an unprecedented view into the ocean below.

"Ah, yes Thoice. I was worried you might of gotten lost" Eggman laughed as he gestured for Thoice to sit. "We have much to talk about." Eggman said.

Thoice took a seat and said "Doctor, I'll be honest. I am still remembering my past, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Tell me what I need to know" Thoice said, still planning how to escape the island on a minute's notice.

"How sensible Thoice, now I see why you were always mentioned as a kind-hearted gentleman. And I'll admit, your white fur is matched to perfection as the texts described" Eggman noticed and went on to say "As I've said, Sonic needs to be stopped. I can send you to the main land where you can take care of him and his rag-tag group of rebels. I will warn you however, the people of the city have taken far too kindly of this fool's radical ideas, so expect some resistance in finding where he may be." The doctor said carefully.

"Understood. Apparently the stories fail to mention how proficient I am at my job or you doubt me directly, sir" Thoice remarked with a calmly phrased sentence, designed to stab at the doctor's lies.

"I only mean to fully inform" the doctor said defensively "When you find the hedgehog, and his friends, feel free to kill them. Or if you must, take them hostage. I know you know how to poison your target any way you want, so I'll let you decide whatever you see fit…" the doctor said, almost relishing the concept of having Thoice free to practice his venomous hobby.

"Thank you doctor. If you don't mind, I'd like to start this mission now… so take me to this city" Thoice said calmly, yet again circumventing any position the doctor would be able to place over him.

"Oh ho ho ho! That is what I like to hear" Eggman laughed as he pressed a button. A capsule fell from the ceiling and locked Thoice up in its tight space. "This one man shuttle will you get you there in a matter of minutes. You'll be landing on the beachfront of the Emerald Coast. The two-tailed fox lives there… the rest I'll leave to you" Eggman said as he pressed the button.

The ceiling opened up and the capsule lurched up to the sky. It accelerated as it took into the heavens, allowing Thoice to look down and watch the waves crash against an island growing only smaller and smaller in the distance. Minutes passed and soon Thoice's only sight was that of the waves.

"It is abundantly clear that the doctor is trying to use me like Sammy did" Thoice said, "However, he gave me targets. I can at least interrogate them and find out what they know" he said, looking forward for a beach to show up.

Time passed and large metal structures showed up over the horizon. Large buildings that tore at the sky appeared there, a beautiful beach to their east and a massive jungle to the north. The city took Thoice's breath away. "My god! The city is easily twice the size of Galextrium, if not triple" Thoice said, underestimating the massive city.

The beach approached the viewfinder at an alarmingly quick rate, and Thoice crashed into the beach. The capsule broke on impact and he rolled into the sand. He pulled himself out of the trench he had rolled into and swore at Eggman for his landing. Thoice then took in his sights and begun walking into town, carefully looking for anyone.

The small town on the beach was quaint and somehow peacefully. No one seemed to be enjoying a night walk, which constantly made Thoice feel like he was walking right into a trap or worse. The salt water of the sea permeated his nostrils, giving him memories of the sea cove that he spent the last few seconds of his memories in. "_Why does that cove mean so much to me?"_ he questioned himself as he grabbed the locket to just feel its presence in his hand.

He snuck into the core of the small town when he saw an obnoxiously large complex, with two tails painted along the side. He smiled knowing he found the right place. So he snuck in through the back, where he saw two large metal doors opened to the heavens. Inside the room was an orange fox wearing a welder's mask as he worked away on some large metal bird. "_My lord, the things these people have created"_ Thoice marveled as he snuck inside the garage. He reached into his pocket for a vial to coat his claws into; when he realized that they were long gone. He had to actually use his combat prowess to bring this person down. "_and if I am to fight this poor kid, I would surely kill him… I need an alternative route…"_ he thought to himself, looking around the room to use the environment to his advantage.

Thoice worried for a second that he would have to kill the fox and move onto another member of the blue hedgehog's gang, when he noticed a small line of beakers next to him. Some were labeled with some chemical formulas, and Thoice knew what most of them were. He quickly mixed a few into a vial, and shook the contents while the mixture bubbled. All this while he casually kept looking back at the fox to make sure he still hadn't been noticed. When the poison was ready, he dipped his left paw into it and coated his claws carefully in the solution. He then crept up on the fox and pounced at him, with his left claw out and ready to serrate the fox's very being.

The fox reacted at the last second, quickly flying up into the air as Thoice's claw sliced into the fox's back, to which the fox cried out in pain. The fox flew to the other side of the room by spinning his two tails behind him at an impressive speed, before collapsing to the ground. Thoice smirked and walked over to the fox, who was panting painfully as the poison was slowly at work, making the poor fox pass out.

"Who…. Who …. Are you?" the fox managed as his pupils rolled into the back of his head and the body limped to the ground.

"The better question is, 'What do you know of me?'" Thoice said as he smiled at the body to which he bent over to take the fox's pulse. He felt a slight beat of the young boy's heart, which made Thoice's stomach lurch with some twisted hunger. He smiled knowing that the kid lived and also at the fact that he still knew how to brew effective poisons "_even without my own lab"_ he praised himself. He pulled the fox over to a chair and begun tying the kid up with many intricate knots. Then Thoice walked back to the line of beakers and vials to begin brewing a batch of the respective healing solvent.

**The thirst** tore away at Thoice's stomach, but he ignored it as he carried the finished product to the tied up fox. He applied the poultice to the wounds on the fox's back with a small rag that he found, carefully treating the wound so that it wouldn't fester. Then he took up a seat and watched his hostage slowly stir awake.

"Morning sleeping beauty" Thoice joked as he looked out to see the moon still sitting up in the sky.

"Wha?" the fox groaned as he blinked his eyes. He made an attempt to move his arms up so he could rub his eyes awake when he realized he was tied to a chair. "What do you want?" the fox cried out in a worried voice.

"Relax boy, I merely want some answers. You see, I've been out of the 'loop' for some time as it were, and as you could imagine, I have questions that need to be asked." Thoice said calmly, as he groomed his fur.

"Ok…. Ask ahead?" the fox said cautiously, knowing he didn't really have any other options.

"Well, I like to be polite first. My name is Thoice. Thoice the Ocelot and you are?" Thoice said peacefully to his hostage.

"I'm… Miles Prower" The fox said, his eyes widening as Thoice introduced himself. "But you can call me Tails, Mr. Thoice" the fox said happily.

"Whoa there kid, don't get all jumpy. How do you know me?" Thoice questioned, taking new interest in Tails.

"You're like a hero to me!" Tails said, pride brimming from his voice. "I read the 'Ballad of the Ocelot' all the time as a kid, and I idolized you!" Tails said proudly.

"The what-now of the Ocelot?" Thoice asked "Explain kid." He said, his curiosity only growing.

"Well… the story goes that a long time ago, in a corrupt city full of sin and evil, a brave man lived there. A man of pure heart and good intention, but he had a dark past that he was trying to atone for. And when he thought he finally found peace in his life, the freedom movement of the city found him and sought his assistance. Through much persuading and sheer will-power, they managed to have the hero perform one last mission to save hundreds of lives. The man accepted, with a heavy heart and went into the seedy underbelly of the city and killed a cruel and bitter man" the fox recited.

"_Edgar… the kingpin. Ok, so far, so good"_ Thoice thought as he swept his claws at Tail's manacles, freeing the fox.

"Thank you" Tails said, as he rubbed his arms "As I was saying though, after this hero slew the evil man, the hero went away for some time. Some think that he had to leave to save other cities, and others think that he just wanted time away from the lives he had ended. Years passed, and the evil man was but one of two in the crime syndicate. The second came to terrorize the town, and the freedom fighters of the city beckoned to this hero once more. He begrudgingly accepted the mission, purely on the basis that he would be able to save an innocent man's life. He was willing to sacrifice his life to save stranger's life…" the fox said, tears forming on this eyes.

"That is right. I went to save a poor old man's life from Nigel…" Thoice said aloud, the memory playing around in his head. He saw Nigel throw a knife into the poor hostage's neck, and the gruesome display as the corpse danced under the blood-spilt trachea.

"Correct" the fox said, wiping the tears away. "Well, the cruel man's friend killed the innocent hostage, which angered the peaceful man. The hero slew the evil once more, at great personal cost to himself. On the precipice of death, he poured 'Life's Cure' on him and the pain of the heavens blinded him and tore at his very soul, but the body lived" Tails said.

"Odd name for my poultice… but aye. Such events happened" Thoice said, having a weird feeling at hearing his life recited to him by some kid.

"A real marvel in alchemic arts, if I may say so myself. I've yet to be able to construct anything quite like it" the fox said earnestly "Well, after the hero saved himself from death, an escort came to find him and lead him to safety through the 'caves of trial'." The fox said.

"I was…. Lead through the back room…." Thoice said, the memory becoming more vivid then.

"Well, the hero was still dying from blood loss and shock, so the escort transfused her own life to save his. Then, together, the two ran to a secret safe house that looked over the 'sea of time'." Tails said.

"There…. Was someone who saved me…" Thoice said, trying madly to remember who. "And we ran to her family's safe house in some sea cove…" he said as he grabbed his head in pain as the dagger-like thoughts stabbed into him with their flaming tips right into the core of his brain.

"And the so called 'freedom fighters' came to slay the hero, as to clear up any loose ends on their behalf, for they were a sinful force of corrupt officials who feared the hero's pure heart. The escort and him fought valiantly but ultimately were overwhelmed. She cast a spell of fire at the oncoming attackers, stopping them in their tracks and took the hero to the end of the cliff." Tails said, a tear forming in his eye.

"Aye, she blew up her family's cottage to buy us some time from the incoming force" Thoice said, the daggers of the memory stabbed away at his mind, all while he desperately tried to remember who this girl was.

"Well, she looked at the hero and told him that she loved him as they kissed with a pure passion only the heavens themselves could dare to mimic. She gave him her locket to remember he by and threw him into the 'capsule of eternity' so that he may be preserved for years to come. She then fled to some land far away" Tails concluded, looking at Thoice.

Upon hearing the mention of a locket he grabbed the one around his neck and the memory slowly engulfed him. He saw a pure face, one of a pale complexion. She had beautiful blue eyes and hair that was a lovely shade of straw. Her eyes seemed to stare at him innocently, as if she forgave him for something he did. He couldn't help but feel at peace with the memory looking at him, the name rushed forward as the figure leaned forward to kiss his mental-self.

"Sierra!" Thoice cried out, tears rolling down his eyes as the memories of her flooded his head. The night he met her at the party, the walk they had in the park, the pictures they took over their friendship… The taste of her lips as they kissed on his birthday. How he was willing to sacrifice himself to get her father back. How she went down into the caverns under the city and helped him to escape. How she cured him from the precipice of death, and how she lead him to the cottage. The memory of everything she told him before throwing him into the sea, after they kissed with passion only the god's themselves could dare to compete with.

"MY god! She is dead! And I'm cursed to live in eternal guilt" he cursed the heavens as he cried unconscionable. The locket jingled around his neck and the sound calmed him for a second. "This locket…. Was Sierra's mothers. Then her fathers, and finally her own. Now I wear her family's past around my neck" he said aloud, both telling Tails about the locket and reminding himself how much the locket meant to him. He grabbed the locket and slipped it off his neck where he slipped a claw underneath the clasp and opened it. The locket popped open and he looked inside at a picture of Sierra blowing a kiss to him. On the opposite side, carved into the steel was 'T + S', encased in a heart that made up the shape of the locket. He shed some tears as he clasped the metal time capsule that held his past.

Tails got up from his chair and placed his hand on Thoice's shoulder "Mr. Thoice…. I'm sorry for your loss…." Tails said, tears forming on his eyes as well.

"_I've always loved you Thoice, do you love me?__"_ Rung in his head as the echo of Sierra asked him. He looked at the locket and said "I always loved you" at he closed the clasp and tied the locket back around his neck.

_"__I'm so sorry love, but we can't be together"_ rang her voice in his head as he looked up at Tails. "Don't worry kid; fate just had other plans for us. If I've lived for over a hundred years in a metal box, then it was because I was needed in the future" he said proudly, trying to cheer up this kid. "_This kid who looks up to me like some kind of god"_ Thoice told himself, still wrapping his mind around that.

"Yeah… you're probably right. And maybe she is still alive…. Her name was Sierra, right?" Tails asked, wiping the tears from his eye.

"Yes, Sierra. The most beautiful girl I ever met, and the sole reason for my survival" he said, pride echoing off his voice, as he remembered how torn he was upon her telling him how she had been working in the crime syndicate the entire time he knew her… "_But I guess it turns out you were trying to save the city… the 'Liberty League' turned out to be the bad guys…"_ he thought as he smiled at her memory.

_ "But I meet you at the party and I couldn't help but fall in love with you"_ her voice echoed in his head, as he looked up at Tails.

"Thoice… if I may… please follow me" the fox said as he walked out of the garage and into the town. Thoice followed him, thoughts of Sierra permeating his every thought.

"Young master Miles, where are you taking me?" Thoice inquired

"Please, just call me Tails" the fox laughed and said "And don't you worry, don't you trust me?" Tails asked.

"_Do you trust me?" _echoed Sierra's voice in his head, as he winced at the similarities.

"For I have no prior reason to distrust your actions, I must trust you, as is the way the gentleman strives to live." Thoice replied keeping pace with Tails.

The two jogged for a few minutes, and soon headed into the city. Thoice looked around at the giant metal buildings, his mind unable to perceive why any city would ever need such large abodes for its dwellers. The city seemed almost too big, as if the city was growing too large and starting to die under its own weight, which made Thoice sick that so many people would live in such a desolate existence.

Tails took Thoice to a large building named 'Stations Square's Art Gallery' and lead him inside. The building was eerily dark, and the moon's light reflected off of all the sculptors, making them seem almost alien in nature and other worldly. "Tails, why wasn't the door locked?" Thoice asked, realizing that if all of man's greatest works were placed in one building, what would keep them from being stolen. "For, if this is truthfully an art complex, what is to prevent one from abscond with such precious works of art? Unless this is an utopian society, where crime does not exist" he said casually, doubting that mankind would ever be able to shake the shackles that oppressed it so much.

"Oh it was closed, but I used my keycard to open it" Tails said casually. "Unfortunately, crime still very much so exists. And I fear it shall eternally…" the kid said as he looked around.

"A keycard?" Thoice asked puzzled. "they have bottled magic to select citizens?" Thoice questioned, unable to figure what gave this kid the power to view such breathtaking beauty on whatever whim the fox may have had. "_Surely such a luxury was for the aristocracy…"_ he thought.

"Oh, I keep forgetting that you haven't been … uhm ….modernized? "the kid said tactfully "… its … an invisible key that opens locked doors without having to shift a tumbler?" the fox tried to explain as he flicked a light switch on. The fluorescent lights flickered a few times and then stabilized, bringing the entire room alive with a peaceful hue of translucent light.

"So I'm in an art gallery, eh?" Thoice said, his memories dragged to Sierra.

_ "The name is Sierra, and my aren't you the romantic."_ replied the echo of Sierra in his head as he looked at some statue of a large bronze man.

**Sierra had** appeared in his memories for a couple seconds, just standing there, looking at him with her innocent eyes. Almost beckoning that he come to her so that she could hug him one last time, but he shook his head in disbelief and she faded away.

"Thoice, please follow me" Tails said as he walked down the corridor. The paintings reflected all things. Some were of gruesome deaths, others were of beautiful births. Some were almost evil in nature and others seemed to magnify the beauty that man possessed. Every painting on the left was of man's cruelty to the earth, showcasing death or despair. Whereas, by contrast, the right side of the corridor showed man's ability to overcome such weaknesses and transcend above and beyond the call of civility. They continued down this hallway till they reached a wing named 'Mobius's Heroes'. They walked inside and Tails turned on the lights to show a small room.

It seemed to be of a small room and the pathway showed that you could walk around on either the left or right of the display in front of him to be shown the backside of whatever it meant to be a 'Hero of Mobius'. On the left side of the room were many a picture showing the beauty of the old city, the city where Thoice murdered a kingpin and a cruel hedgehog. There were some artist's drawings of Thoice around the wall. Most of the art showed him as a frail ocelot, with white hair that seemed almost angelic. The face seemed to be that of a scholar, and in every picture, the Thoice never seemed to smile. Also the look of sadness from the painting stared right into Thoice's very being. There was even a sculptor depicting Thoice on a cliff's edge, almost seeming willing to jump into the water below, a smile on its face, the kind of smile that one would have if they knew that they finally found freedom from life. "_So… this is how the future knows me?"_ he thought grimly as he took in the art's ever constant gaze.

On the right side of the same room was a bunch of that blue hedgehog he had seen earlier. The hedgehog was seen flying in space, depicted as a hedgehog who echoed the sun. In some pictures the hedgehog was seen saving cities, or fighting large and terrifying creatures. A sculptor of him was seen there looking at Thoice, a friendly smile on its face and a large thumb being pointed up directed right at Thoice's position, as if the figure was trying to convey the thought 'everything is going to be alright'. It made Thoice smile almost sarcastically "_How can everything be alright? I'm in a land detached from my own life… I was suppose to die over a hundred years ago. Why must I live, but so many innocent one end?"_ he pondered, staring into the statue's emerald green eyes, as if he was digging away for an answer.

Thoice questioned the blue hedgehog's presence for a little bit longer when he saw in the middle of the room out of the corner of his eyes, a large abstract painting of the beautiful city of Galextrium. The exact painting that Sierra claimed she painted many years ago. Upon seeing it, Thoice fell to his knees and heaved as his body cried. He still was able to make out the faint pattern in the picture, and it made no more sense to him then than it did over a hundred years ago.

"_Oh that? I just wanted to try something new out…" _came Sierra's voice in his head, as he looked up at the painting, remembering himself asking her if she painted that. He smiled almost bitterly as her voice seemed to echo, as a way to remind him of the modesty she portrayed at admitting she had painted such a beautiful picture of a lovely city.

"See Thoice, the people of this world remember you. They idolize you for what you did. You freed the world from tyranny and gave people the chance to fight for themselves. You were always willing to sacrifice yourself to save strangers… even if you didn't have the most ideal past…" the fox said as he walked over to the blue hedgehog's statue. "And most importantly of all, you showed everyone that there is some good in this world. That there are people out there, willing to give up their very lives if it would mean just making one day better…" the fox said, a tear falling from his face.

"Tails…" Thoice said, as he wiped the tears from his eyes and tore his gaze from Sierra's painting to look at Tails "tell me about this hedgehog. Because the doctor told me that I needed to kill him. Something about this hedgehog was a risk to world peace, but why would such an evil person be here in this 'hall of heroes'?" Thoice asked.

"Doctor? You mean Eggman?" Tails asked and Thoice nodded his head "Oh, well he is the evil guy. He must have wanted to use your unparallel power to kill Sonic and us so that he could conquer the world… or at least try it again" the fox said. "and possibly find a way to prove that even the most pure of heroes can fall…. That seems a little far though. Even for Eggman" Tails pondered aloud.

"Good, I had a feeling that the man was lying to me" Thoice said, vowing to end Eggman's rampage of evil. "I'm glad I decided to interrogate you before killing you" Thoice said as an apology to Tails, still staring at the large statue depicting a blue hedgehog.

"Oh, I don't mind. How many other people can say that they got to endure Thoice's personal brew of numbing poison?" the fox laughed.

"To be honest, I brewed it in your lab while you were distracted…" Thoice said casually as he explained how.

"Ingenious! I never knew that I could mix…. And .. wow. The legends certainly weren't wrong when they called you a genius with a beaker" the fox said happily.

"Yeah… well I would give it all up. I'll tell you… after the things I've seen…. The things I've done" Thoice said, his memories plaguing him again "All I ever wanted to do was help people. But fate forced me to become an arbiter, whose purpose was to weed the evil out of the world. I would give that all up if I could just live a normal life" Thoice said, as he looked back at Sierra's painting.

_"Thoice… I can't. I feel like there is a connection between us… and I don't want to lose you to him"_ Sierra's voice rang in his head, as he felt his heart pang as the echo rang through his ears.

"Tails, I'll tell you. I hope that Sonic character over there" Thoice said, gesturing to the statue of Sonic "has no heart. Because living with blood-stained hands, wracks a man's conscious every day" Thoice admitted, feeling his heart die as he looked at his hand, almost able to visualize the metaphoric blood over his hands.

His sinwashingaway any happiness in his heart, as he thought about the lives he had killed. The lives he killed with Sierra as they fled for their freedom. And even the lives of those who he killed with the poison dipped in through his claws. "_For another man to take up the mantle of 'reaper' he must have a guilt ridden conscious_' he thought. "_God save your soul Sonic, for he hath no pity for one who relishes in the reaping of one's immortal soul"_ Thoice thought as he looked at his own statue, almost wishing that he did jump into the water below and died.

"I wouldn't worry. Sonic has never killed another living being" Tails said, smiling. "He fights them to show them the errors of their ways. But he avoids killing them if he can, and so far he has managed that for everyone"

"Then that is a true hero" Thoice said, as he looked back into the hedgehog's green eyes. The memory of Nigel coughing up his last words as he collapsed to the ground chilled Thoice's thoughts. "And I am nothing more than a glorified killer, one who needs to disappear for sometime" Thoice said as he left the room.

"Thoice, slow down!" Tails cried out, running out of the room to catch up with Thoice. But the fox was too late, for the hallway was empty.

** Given to him**, the heavens cried the purifying mist down upon Thoice as he walked in the streets, wandering around the city as the memories of his past swam around in his head. "I'm sorry Tails, but I am no hero… I'm just a man who did what needed to be done" he said aloud, wishing that he died when Sierra pushed him into the sea.

_"__**And**__ now here we are my love."_ Sierra echoed in his head as he looked up at the street lamp and thought back to her at the cliff's edge. Where the two embraced for a mere moment of their lives, one that felt like a life time. And then, as quickly as it begun they separated and Thoice was sent into the briney depths below to be 'saved' from his own fate. "Why Sierra… why couldn't we flee together?" he cursed at the street lamp which bore her face in memory, as he walked out of the city. He soon was heading up a mountainous path that he recognized from Eggman's maps as the trail to the 'Mystic Ruins'. "Fitting place for me to curl up and die, the ruins." He said bitterly as he entered the jungle. "Maybe this time I can stay dead" he said sadly as he paced the path into the jungle.

He found a cleared out spot in the jungle and crawled under the tree and fell asleep, the thirst clawing away at his stomach as the memories stabbed away at his brain. He vowed to do whatever he could to try and find out what happened to the love of his life. He then passed into a dreamland where Sierra escorted him down the plethora of memories they had created over the years they knew each other.

**He awoke** from his sleep, crying passionately about the memories he was forced to endure in his slumber. The clearing had the unmistakable odor of death coated around, as if he was sleeping in a morgue. He quickly sat up and noticed he was lying next to a corpse. The corpse was that of a medium sized rabbit child, who laid next to him, all bloodied and torn apart. Blood dried up around the neck, wrists, gut and chest. The rabbit had a look of pure fear plastered on its face and its clothes had been torn up. The bones jut out of its left arm, as if someone broke the arm apart. Thoice saw all this and felt sick to his stomach and turned to dry heave over a log. When nothing would leave his body he just sat there and cried uncontrollably.

"God, why can't I just lead a normal life!" he asked the sky. The sun had yet to rise over the horizon, and clouds covered the entire sky above him. Large black rain clouds, that had yet to break their water upon the dry world beneath it. "I have killed for you, and I am wracked by eternal torture for what I did! Why not leave me alone?" he begged the sky. He looked back at the decomposing body and could only think of the bodies of those he had killed in his past.

"Why is it I chose the only corpse out here in the forest to sleep next to?" he asked himself as he fought his own urge to kill himself right then and there. "Sierra, I live only in hope that I can find out more about you…." He eventually said, as he stood up and looked hopefully at the sky.

_ "I know, just trust me though. Please?" _ replied the memory of Sierra, her words seeming almost like an answer from god himself.

"Fair enough lord, I just seek peace. Please grant me that?" he asked as he got up to dig a proper grave for such a desecrated corpse. As he dug he couldn't help but marvel at how the creature died. From what he could put together, some powerful creature had grabbed the young girl by the arm and broke the bone out. Then, with the rabbit in pain, the creature stabbed away at the gut, causing the young girl to double over in pain. While weakened by the blood loss and pure pain radiating through the body, the creature must have then impaled the creature through the chest. As the poor rabbit laid on the floor, the creatures seemed to of stabbed away at its wrists and neck, as if to drain as much of the blood as possible. The rabbit died from apparent blood loss, and Thoice still seemed sickened to be even able to imagine how such a creature would even do this to such an innocent child.

"Truly this world has only gotten darker and more sadistic with each passing year. What monster would abduct such a pure innocence and do such unspeakable things to it?" he couldn't help but ask, as if he was giving the young girl's corpse a mouthpiece to ask god herself.

Finally the grave was ready and he dragged the kid's corpse into the hole and slowly buried it. He then placed a white rose over the grave and said a few kind words to the deceased body and then proceeded to wander back to Station Square to acquire food and hopefully some calling in his life.

_"Thoice, I just don't want to lose you."_ Sierra said in his head, as he entered the town and he quickly looked around for her, as her voice radiated in his head. Then he remembered that she was dead and shed some more tears. "Why god, why must I be tortured by the memories of my beloved?" he asked the sky, already expecting no answer. He found some nearby eatery and walked in, trying as hard as he could to keep his composure.

"Hello sir, how may I help you?" the kid behind the counter asked. Thoice looked around and noticed that the store was moderately busy, tons of people sitting around and eating and drinking. Some wore suits while other wore casual clothing. He deduced it was roughly breakfast time, perhaps around nine o'clock.

"I would like a …." He said, as he looked up at the large menu. Giant pictures of food items looked back at him with large numbers next to him. The food item with a '6' next to it seemed to appease him so he said "number … 6? If you would kind, fair sir" Thoice asked, as the kid looked back. Clearly taken aback by the politeness in Thoice's phrasing.

"Would you like a drink with that?" the kid asked as he punched some buttons on some machine. "_Darn, I must of startled the poor kid. Let us see if I use my intellect as a way to manipulate the townspeople. For they must clearly fear the well learned… or misunderstand us, as it truly is"_ Thoice quickly thought.

**Thirsty, **Thoice said "Yes please, a glass of your finest water would do kindly" he said.

"Ok, that will be $7.34" the kid said.

"Oh? Why would that be?" Thoice asked, confused.

"Because… that is what it costs?" the kid replied confused.

"But who determines the cost of confections? Why can't a collective coalition of people who have lived in a tight-knit convent such as this, figure a way to supply their fellow man without having to create some artificial cost to the services provided?" Thoice asked cleverly, seeing the kid just look back with a confused look.

"Oh, I getcha. Your one of those surprise food inspectors…" the kid said cautiously and hurried to the back to get some one. A larger man walked to the register and looked back at Thoice.

"Hey sir, what is it you said to this kid? He seems to spewing something about how you might be a food inspector…" the man said calmly, yet clearly worried.

"Why my good sir, I merely wish to know how an advance civilization still seems keen on the archaisms of charging the populace to some artificial means of determining value upon set goods and services. For isn't it man's greatest accomplishment to end world hunger and help his less fortunate brother?" Thoice replied peacefully.

"I getcha… well let me get you your meal sir. Sorry to keep you waiting." The man said as he rushed to grab a bag of something a cup. He handed the things to Thoice and said to enjoy. "They said the food inspector would sound smart, and that was clearly the smartest-sounding thing I've heard in a long time" the man said, waving Thoice away.

"_Weird… did those men confuse me for someone else?"_ Thoice questioned himself as he walked outside. He opened the bag to see a smaller version of the picture that sat next to the large number '6'on the board behind where he acquired such confection. "_Disappointing, I thought this thing would be larger…"_ he thought as he leaned against the building and took a bite out of the sandwich.

"Not half bad" he exclaimed as he finished the sandwich, although it seemed to not quell his appetite. But Thoice realized that he didn't even have an appetite to begin with, he just grabbed food entirely out of habit. "_Weird, I haven't eaten in over a hundred years, and this is the first thing I've eaten since. Why am I not hungry?"_ he asked himself, puzzled by the circumstances he seemed placed in.

He then grabbed the small cup that had some cylindrical device shoved in through its head. He looked in it to see a pool of water at the bottom, so he put his lips over it and sucked to have the water rush up to meet his mouth. He grinned as he continued to suck water up through this marvel of engineering. "_Amazing, these people have found a way to transport water through a closed environment, as to keep said contents chilled"_ he marveled as he finished the beverage.

**For more** droplets of water, he sucked. Sadly, no such luck was to happen so he found a large can over flowing with likewise droppings and waste products. He added his bag and water container to the can's overall being and then walked off down the street. The rain had just broken from its clouds, and soon the ground was being dripped in the heavenly water from the sky. "_I should have kept that container so I could bottle this water from the sky…"_ he thought, regretting how he left the container back at that large can.

He walked down the street, marveling at how such a large city seemed to come to life during the day. Large metal boxes were being moved around the paved roads, with people of all things being pushed inside of them. Large metal birds occasionally flew above him, making an ungodly sound as they tore away at the heavens. People yelled at each other and shouted at other things. Almost every single one of these people had a small rectangle that they would either look at, touch repetitively or talk into. "_My, how queer. These people seem almost attached to these rectangles. Must be some medicine they take to help improve their lives"_ he thought hopefully.

_ "Here, let's rest here." _Sierra's voice said inside his head, as he walked in front of a large building. It was labeled 'Central City Library'.

"_Anything for you Sierra"_ Thoice replied to the memory as he walked up the stairs and entered the building. Books lined the mass interior of the complex. But there were an alarmingly small number of humans that walked around the confines of this palace. "_My lord, with so many books one could easily become a king above his fellow man. Why would these humans freely distribute so much knowledge at their leisure?"_ he questioned as he walked among the tomes.

"Greetings Sir, you need help finding a book?" an elderly woman asked him. She had a grey head of hair and seemed almost too frail.

"No thank you ma'm. You may sequester yourself elsewhere and attend to your own health" Thoice said as he went back to reading the titles of books.

"Aw, thank you. What a kind kid…" she said as she walked off.

"_Kid? According to the 'stories' I'm older than this city…"_ he thought with a bittersweet smile. He soon found a section called 'Fiction & myths'. He quickly looked over the books and found the book Tails mentioned, 'The ballad of the Ocelot', to which Thoice took to a nearby table. He opened the book and slowly read the story, and true to what Tails recited to him, his life was written there. "_albeit, it seems almost romanticized…"_ Thoice thought to himself as he finished.

"Good word, they have sealed me into the tomes of history. Me? Why I never once thought that I'd be worthy enough to be passed unto another generations, let alone hundreds." He said, a tear brimming at his eye. "Still… how did they manage to be so accurate with what I did? Only Sierra was with me when I did most of this…" he said as he looked for an author. He found a 'paw print' painted in the back of the book, as if that was supposed to suffice as someone's signature.

"No wait… it can't be" he said as he looked carefully at the print. He placed his hand over it, and noticed it was slightly shorter. But it fit the same inline that Sierra's had for when they held hands. "_Sierra… you made me immortal to many generations? Thank you so much"_ he said, tears forming at his eyes as he thought back to Sierra and remembered how happy he felt when she would simply smile at him. The tears that brimmed his eyes fell freely as he thought about all the times he told Sierra that he wanted to be remembered long after he died. "_I guess she listened to me after all. After throwing me into a steel box, she went to make my story immortal. But did she intend for me to live my fall?"_ he asked himself, still trying to figure out Sierra's motives.

_ "Please Thoice, your life isn't worth my father's." _ replied the voice of Sierra's in his head, as he molested the locket around his neck, happy that he could still be connected to her at least in one way.

"Excuse me Mr, are you reading this book?" came a childish voice. Thoice turned to see a small rabbit looking at him. She wore a cute orange dress and had a small chao floating around her. The chao had a red bowtie.

**Blood** stopped in his heart as he was torn to thinking back to this morning, at the corpse of a little rabbit roughly the same age as this girl. Her bone protruding from her arm, and the bloodied mess the corpse was in. Worse of all was the face of absolute terror the child had on her face, as if it saw death itself. He quickly blinked and shook his head to clear his mind, desperately trying to keep his composure.

"Uhm, no young lass. You may partake in the beauty of the written word, as it were" he said playfully, as he handed her the book.

"Oh, thank you Mr. But I can't read this, it's a big girl book and I'm still too young to read something so hard" she said politely.

"_Well at least there are still some polite people in the world"_ he grinned. "Well little girl, my name is Thoice. And if you'd like, I could read you a story some time" he offered.

"Oh, you would Mr. Thoice. That would be amazing" she said as she curtsied to him. "My name is Cream. Cream the Rabbit." She said happily.

"The pleasure is all mine Cream" he said smiling "Now, would you like a story from this book or another?" he asked friendly.

"Oh, this book. You seemed to really enjoy it" she said, sitting next to him, looking at him with large and innocent eyes.

"_Eyes that a child should have. Innocent, and pure"_ Thoice thought, thinking of the look Sierra gave him when he walked back to her that one night carrying the very locket around his neck. Telling her that her father was dead, only to see Sierra fall to pieces and cry in his arms.

"If you don't mind me asking Mr. Thoice, I would like to know why you like this book so much?" Cream asked, looking at him happily.

"Well Cream, if you must know. This book means a lot to me" he said to her, a smile on his face. "Someone really important to me wrote it for me" he said nicely, wishing that he could explain to the girl but feared that it would make him insane. And for the first time in over a hundred years, he finally had a moment of peace and happiness as he read his life to a young girl, who seemed enthralled by his every word. He shed a tear at the moment as he finished the book to Cream, and closed the cover of 'The Ballad of the Ocelot' to young Cream, who only applauded at his oration.

_ "Yes… but Thoice… I don't want the same fate to happen to you…." _Sierra said, almost telling him that his happiness was something she didn't want. But he ignored the cryptic message and read Cream's facial expressions with a smile. He had taken the liberty of emphasizing the dramatic parts of the story, as he lived the actual events in his head, feeling that he gave the book justice.

"_Sierra… I swear I find out what happened to you"_ he said in his head, as Cream sat there enthralled by the story Thoice had read to her. The locket rest on his neck, a token reminder of his past and Thoice smiled knowing that he finally had a future.

* * *

><p><strong>Even a person who has such a f*ck'd up life deserves a little happiness at some point, right? So, what did you guys think? Too dark, just right, or (even) not dark enough. I really would like to hear from you, so hit me up with a PM or write your criticism publicly as a review. As for IF YOU want to add your own O.C. to the story, hit up my profile page and head over to my forum to see ALL the details, but generally<strong>

**Name:**

**Relation to Thoice or Sierra:**

**Age:**

**Gender:**

**Anything the distinguishes your character differently from the others (i.e. weapons, personality, past...):**


	3. Had

**Author's Note:**

**Ok, chapter 3 is up. :D i would personally like to thank 'TheEndOfTheWorld19' for the review. He brought up some great points. Namely, three points.**

**1) Why does the city need Thoice? A: I explain. This story is going to have its fair share of flashbacks and such. It is designed to be... cinematic, if that makes sense.**

**2) The Chapters are too long. A: They are long enough. I don't want to 'cheat' my readers by cutting corners or making chapters too short. This series isn't designed to go on for that long, maybe a good 10 - 15 chapters... and then i'll see what i want to do from that point. Just bare with me, i'm making the chapters long and memorable, as they should be. **

**3) The main enemy should be more memorable. A: Is there even a main enemy? I don't really think I've given that tid-bit away yet. I mean, come on. :D **

**I thank you for the review however, and i'm glad you enjoyed it. And no, i'm not making fun of you, AT ALL in this. I just want to publicly answer your questions. Other people may of thought the same...**

**That all being said, Enjoy the latest chapter. **

* * *

><p><strong>Had<strong>

Thoice was sitting at a bar; a large crocodile was serving as the bartender. His name was Gill (or at least the nametag said so), but everyone just called him 'one-eye' on account of the eye patch over the remnants of his left eye. Thoice remembered asking Gill about how he lost his eye, only to be replied with a rough story about how the Crime Syndicate managed to get the jump on him in a brawl fight.

Thoice was enjoying a tall glass of ice-cold water, namely cause the water helped calm his ever working mind. He was a new person to this town, this town of thieves and sinful acts. Sure the town was named, it had the name Galextrium, but to Thoice… well the name was just a synonym for 'sin'. He had been a newcomer to this city for less than a week, and already he had seen murder, rape and theft. All to frequent, it seemed, Thoice had to rush to the aid of some damsel in distress, or help settle some dispute between some gang wars and so forth. "_Being this city's one-man police force wasn't my idea of a 'vacation' from my past…"_ he thought cruelly as he watched the ice bob in his glass.

"Christ, this town is nothing but the sinful garden of Eden" Thoice muttered to himself as he took yet another sip of his water, his mind stuck on figuring out how to blend into such a cesspool of living conditions as he watched some people fight in the corner of the bar, clearly drunk or just plain stupid.

As he pondered his newest disguise, a reddish orange squirrel walked over to him and took the barstool to his left. He ordered something along the lines of a scotch, but Thoice didn't really care enough to listen. "_Just look at him, clearly another denizen of this decrepit society"_ Thoice thought as he took another sip, a pang of sympathy knowing this squirrel would never have a peaceful life in this town.

"Hey-a stranger" the squirrel said as he waited on his drink. "The name is Sammy. Sammy Redfield. And you?" he asked all too friendly.

"_Clearly a trap, use a clever pseudo-name and leave before they figure you out"_ Thoice quickly thought as he said "Me name be Melvin Tiles. I'm but a simple roofer 'ere to enjoy a glass 'o water 'fore 'eding home to the miss" Thoice said in a convincing voice.

"You don't say, so your married are ya?" Sammy asked

"Naw, she my gal. But her folks died awhile back, so we decided to live together to make life easier for her. Plus, I just love her something fierce, ya know what I mean?" Thoice replied again, carefully anticipating Sammy's reactions and responses.

"That is always sweet, me? I've never been married, nor had a girlfriend. Ya see I'm the head of a little … organization" Sammy said in a slight whisper.

"Really now? What ya peddle?" Thoice replied with causal interest.

"We peddle freedom, if ya catch my drift" Sammy said with a wink.

"_Christ, he either figured me out or is testing me"_ Thoice panged with worry as he calmly said "Well I hope you and your 'associates' have the best of success." As Thoice got up and left a few rings on the bar for payment to his drink.

Thoice was turning to leave the bar when Sammy snapped his fingers and all of the bar patrons got up and drew their swords.

"Now 'Melvin', I believe we still have the matter of where your loyalties lie" Sammy said in a confident tone.

"_Why God, why can't I have freedom from this life?"_ Thoice pleaded to the heavens as he said "I am but a simple construction worker. My loyalties lie with the city and her beauty…" Thoice said.

"Please. Unless you're an idiot then you know this city is a landfill. No amount of new roofs will change that." Sammy said as he took a drink of his scotch. "Also, I would like if you'd drop the fake identity Thoice. We've been tracking you throughout the city for a couple days now" Sammy said smugly.

"Ok, so you found me out. That doesn't mean I'll help you do anything. I've 'retired' from my past life. So please, let me just live the remainder of my sinful existence in peace" Thoice said as he turned to walk to the exit, unafraid of the swords drawn at him.

"Typically, I'd respect you for determination to live a peaceful life. Must be hell living with the knowledge of what you've done over the years…" Sammy said sympathetically "But, you must understand Thoice. We would have never pinned you in a bar if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Let me explain our cause, and then you'd be free to decide then. Sound like a deal?" the squirrel asked calmly.

"_Well, seems the only other way out is to kill again… and all these innocent people don't deserve to die."_ Thoice thought as he looked into the eyes of the bar patrons. Most had innocent and scared eyes. As if they knew of Thoice and were terrified of his presence, which only made Thoice feel worse about his existence. "Very well 'Sammy', make it quick" Thoice said as he sat back down on his barstool.

"Of course. Well, I'll start from the beginning. This city once used to be a haven among the civilized world. A regular hamlet of the world, and it was truly the golden age of society." Sammy said almost reminiscently "But, all good things must end. This Crime Syndicate moved to our utopia and started to plant the seeds for our demise" Sammy said remorsefully.

"In retrospect, we should have rooted them out when we had the chance… but we never thought them to be much. Time passed, and they moved from just a cartel of smuggling goods across borders into a full-fledged organization." Sammy said with a tinge of anger in his voice. "They started taking out hits on the citizens of this city, fixing elections and in general… turning this city into what you see now." Sammy said with the anger of his voice now apparent.

"Time passed, and the Crime Syndicate eventually became the undisputed leaders of this city. They corrupted everyone, from the lowest farmer to the mayor…" Sammy said sadly "And by the time me and 'Liberty League' assembled to stop them, we were far too late." Sammy said.

"Fair enough. Good town gone bad. I don't see why you need me though" Thoice said, analyzing what Sammy just told him.

"Just hold your horses, I'm getting to you. Time passed in this city and the Crime Syndicate soon figured us out and planted spies in our organization. And now we are losing members left and right. Everyone in this bar is loyal as can be to Galextrium … But I fear we may of lost our city until we heard of you" Sammy said.

"Sammy… all I did was kill. I don't want that life anymore. I tried to turn a new leaf, God knows I did. I became a doctor in a neighboring city… but even the sanctity of saving lives didn't make up for the sinful past of murder I committed" Thoice said sadly.

"I know Thoice, I know. You are someone with too kind of heart, but your skill in this … field … is unparallel" Sammy said. "All I'm asking is one last 'hit' for you to do. After that, we will personally see that you find peace" Sammy said hopefully.

"Sammy… I really don't want to. I know by not helping you could lose hundreds more of innocent lives… but I just can't kill again. Seeing them die in such a horrific way…." Thoice said, his mind reverting to flashbacks.

"Just hear me out. If you kill their kingpin, then the organization tumbles. We have intelligence that would help lead you to the kingpin. By killing him, you will save thousands of lives and turn this city back to the haven it once was" Sammy said.

"It is tempting… and if he is truly evil…. It would be a godsend to kill him…" Thoice pondered aloud.

"I can tell you, without the doubts of lies in mine heart, that he is evil" Sammy swore as he put his hand to his heart. "He has used your methods of killing on several of our members. And even incorporated your poisons in interrogating the citizens to find out more about us." Sammy said with a smirk hidden behind his face.

"Well… that settles it. If another man wishes to use my sinful methods to kill. I must stop him. Despite my incredible urge to protest against ever taking another life… I must become God's arbiter once more" Thoice said sadly, almost able to shed a tear at the innocence of his life dying again.

"Very good, very good. Now about the details…" Sammy said

**Gong. Gong. Gong. **

Thoice awoke in a library, curled up in a pile of books on a desk. The library's massive clock had started chiming to signify it was three in the afternoon. He looked around to see Sammy or any of the Liberty League members who ended up betraying him and trying to kill him.

"Thoice, get a hold of yourself. They are dead…. All dead… remember?" he said to himself as he looked around the room with his paranoid eyes.

"_But, what just happened…"_ he argued to himself.

" Memories. Best to leave those in the past. Now to figure out how I got here…" he said as he looked at the books he was piled in. Most were medical journals, a few about alchemy and some book called 'The ballad of the ocelot'.

"That's right. I met some rabbit here… uhm…. Cream!" he remembered "And I read her this book about my past…" he assigned to as he remembered the rest of his past. "And then… Sierra. That's right. I'm looking for traces of her and I guess I fell asleep…" Thoice resigned as he decided to put the books away.

A few minutes passed, and the books were properly shelved. Thoice walked outside and the bright light of the sun burned his eyes. He quickly looked down, but the sun still burned into him in a constant stream of pain.

"Why does the sun hurt so much?" he asked himself as he quickly walked under some shade to gain immediate relief from the sun's painful searing rays.

"_I guess my body is just weak from my little 'nap' or something"_ Thoice thought as he carefully walked down town, cautious of finding cover between him and the sun.

Thoice continued to walk through the town, until he heard his name being shouted by some familiar voices. Acting purely on instinct, he dashed into a nearby store and quickly adapted the environment. He quickly feigned the appearance of being a shopper in a store, browsing the wares while keeping his eye to the window for any passersby.

Sometime passed, and Thoice felt safe enough to return back to the city's streets, where he continued to walk down the path. Clouds had obscured the sun and its hurtful rays, so he was free to walk much faster and subsequently, cover much more ground. He ended up in some park out of the town. It was a large vacant park, devoid of any person. Thoice loved it immediately.

He walked into the park and sat on a hill looking down over the tree line. He sat there thinking about what he was to do with his desire to find out more about Sierra and the town he 'saved'. "_Think Thoice, what would Sierra of done after she threw you into the sea?"_ he thought, his heart still hurting from the mixed feelings of the event. He grabbed the locket around his neck and opened it up to see Sierra blowing a kiss to him, and the image renewed his determination to find out what happened to the one girl he ever loved.

He remembered her always talking about how she wanted to visit, and one day live in a sequestered part of a forest. He always used to joke about how that would make her essentially a hag, or a witch. "Wait…. That's it. She might have lived in the Mystic Ruins" Thoice said, as he sprung up to head out to the Mystic Ruins in a desperate attempt to find some sign about Sierra, false hope filling him up as he smiled about how much it made sense in his head.

"_Why didn't any of the books in the library even mention her? I mean, they seemed to know all about me, but what was I without her?"_ he pondered as he saw a black hedgehog and a red echidna heading his way. "_Damn, too late to hide… maybe I can walk past them and draw no attention to myself"_ he thought as he tucked his hands into his coat pockets and put his head down as he begun to walk back into town.

"Whoa there buddy, where do you think you're going?" came a rough voice, Thoice looked up and saw that the two strangers had stopped in front of him.

"I don't know what you mean, I'm only heading back into the city" Thoice said calmly.

"A likely story bub" the red echidna said "Tails told us to be on the lookout for a white cat, and you fit the description purr-fectly" he laughed as he popped his knuckles.

"Surely you have me mistaken for someone else. I am but a simple citizen of this city." Thoice said, quickly surveying the land to find out how he could turn the environment to his advantage if he needed to fight his way past them.

"That's two for two, faker" the black hedgehog said "Tails said you would be very manipulative with your words and far too calm for any situation"

"_Damn, I guess chivalry is dead."_ Thoice thought as he took his freshly dipped left claw out of his poison lined coat. "_I'll have to thank that fox later for letting me recoat this … well coat"_ Thoice grinned, thankful that he took the time to prepare his coat for his unique fighting style.

"So, it's a fight, is it?" the red echidna said as he lifted his arms up and readied himself for a fight.

"This is your last warning. Let me cross, or you'll regret what happens" Thoice said coldly.

"Nice try punk!" the red echidna shouted as he rushed towards Thoice.

"_Really, thugs are still just as stupid as they were over a hundred years ago?"_ Thoice smirked as he feigned left and rolled to the right to land one quick cut across the red echidna's rib.

"Gar!" he cried out as he rolled on the ground. The black hedgehog was quick to react however; he rushed towards Thoice with speed that reminded him of that green hedgehog, Nigel.

"Chaos Spear!" the hedgehog cried out, as a flurry of golden bolts rushed towards Thoice. Thoice quickly hit to floor, and the barrage flew over him, then he sprung from the ground toward the hedgehog, anticipating a move to his left.

As if planned perfectly, the black hedgehog dove to his right to avoid Thoice's pounce, and so Thoice lashed out one quick cut to the hedgehog's chest.

"Guhg!" the hedgehog cried out as he fell backwards and hit the ground.

Thoice landed next to the hedgehog, looked down for a second with a pang of sympathy, and then continued to walk back into town. The red echidna and black hedgehog lying in the grass, their bodies to paralyzed to let them get back up.

"_They should just consider themselves lucky that I used the paralysis mix"_ Thoice thought grimly, as he walked up to the Mystic Ruins.

A good few hours passed, and Thoice was back in the jungle that he spent the last night in. Memories of the deceased rabbit girl still haunted his mind as he made his way deeper inside the vegetation. The setting sun gave the ruins a creepy feel, and the jungle mimicked that of a cemetery. Soon the lack of sounds in the jungle made Thoice paranoid, so much so that he had his claws on the ready at all time, prepared for any such ambush.

Night soon came over the jungle, and Thoice found himself deep within the overgrowth. No such trails were around him, and his only friend was in the shape of moonlight.

_"Why are you here?" _echoed Sierra's voice in his head as he looked around the abandoned ruins in a desperate attempt to see her.

"Damn it Sierra! I'm here to find out what happened to you…" Thoice said, his eyes starting to grow heavy with the sudden surge of emotions.

_"Funny you should mention" _was the echo's reply.

"I… I just love you so much!" Thoice cried out, as he fell to his knees crying. "I … just … want to know … what happened to you!" he said through spurts of tears.

_ "Take me for a walk, and I'll tell you what I know" _was the reply.

"Sierra… you're not alive! I can't take you for a walk…" Thoice said past the tears. Feeling tortured by his own mind… something he trusted for so long now playing tricks on him.

_ "Take me for a walk, and I'll tell you what I know"_ the echo repeated, as the moon light revealed a small cave nearby.

"In there?" Thoice asked, wiping away his tears and getting back up. There was no reply, so he started to make his way into a cave, for no reason further than his memories told him to. "_At least this might put my mind to ease…"_ he said hopelessly as he walked into the dark bowel of the earth.

As he descended into the dark cave, his vision slowly faded, as if he was becoming blind. He started to hold onto the walls of the cave, as if the touch of the earth would prevent him from getting lost. Suddenly, a bright light struck him…

***Shine***

Thoice was walking to Sierra's house on a gentle sunny day. He had promised her that he would take her to a meeting at parliament. "_I don't see why this girl wants to go watch a bunch of illiterate jacks rant about unnecessary politics… I'd be much happier taking her shopping… but I love her enough to suffer"_ Thoice thought as her estate showed up over the horizon.

Now, after the killing of the Crime Syndicate's kingpin, Thoice had worried that Sierra would be evicted from her estate and forced to find shelter and so forth for herself. Turns out, the Liberty League was one step ahead of him. They nixed her costs on her house, and allowed her free living as thanks for helping Thoice save the city. Still… Thoice had a deep desire to have her move in with him.

Thoice reached the door and knocked his traditional seven knock pattern. In a matter of moments Sierra had opened the door. She was wearing a cute dress, of pink and blue. For some reason, it seemed to make her seem otherworldly… as if she were an angel. Her face was safely behind a veil and a hat donned her head. She seemed to cover up most of her body with the dress, and for whatever wasn't dressed over she had simply covered with a glove.

"Aw, Thoice. Right on time, as usual. Are you ready to enjoy some politics?" she teased as she stepped out of her abode and locked the door behind her.

"As you were milady, I shall be but your humble escort" he replied, as he bowed to take her hand and placed a simple kiss upon it.

"Oh you. Several months after we first met, and you still manage to make me blush." She giggled "I wish more men were as courteous as you. Seems chivalry is dead" she remarked.

"Then I am but a specter. But let us enjoy the day as only two of the living can" he joked as he took her arm and they walked to the parliament.

The two wandered to the building of law, spending their walk talking about their lives for they have not seen one another for what seemed like months, when in actuality it had been but simple days. Thoice had learned that she had taken up alchemy, inspired by him. He offered to help her, and she reluctantly said yes.

"I mean, if you spend all your time lecturing me, what is to allow you a life of your own?" she asked as he insisted.

"Dearest Sierra, if but more people took up such a noble art, then we would be able to prolong lives and improve the wellbeing of this very world" Thoice said confidently.

"But still, it is such an imprecise art. What if I cause the death of someone?" she asked, seemingly genuine in worry.

"Sierra, I promise you, you won't kill anyone. I know the art better than anyone. I can assure you that your hands shan't be for naught but healing." He assured her, as she purred in happiness. "_I mean, at least I won't create someone who can take up my mantle when this life-giving orb finally accepts my corpse"_ he thought morbidly as the cold wind of the day slowly brushed against his fur.

They arrived at the parliamentary building, and were escorted inside by armed guards. Upon entering the hall, the members of the court greeted them cheerily. "_You'd almost think they were your friends too…"_ Thoice joked in his head, knowing they wanted nothing more than to try to get Thoice to back one of them up so they could better their peers.

"Why, Master Thoice. And Miss Sierra, you both look as dashing as ever" Sammy joked as he walked out from his crowd of peers.

"Sammy, still as orange as I remember" Thoice joked.

"I swear I'm getting redder" Sammy said self-consciously. For it had been a joke between them ever since Thoice treated Sammy for cancer, as he had been appearing to be more so orange with each passing visit.

"Oh never mind him" Sierra said as she jabbed Thoice in the side, to illicit a playful sound of pain "You look wonderful Sammy. We merely wanted to stop by and see what political action is being taken today" she said, almost as innocent as a schoolgirl.

"Oh, well if you must know, it turns out that the damn Crime Syndicate will not simply lay dead in the gutters, as it were." Sammy said, starting to ready a rant "They keep rising up to the streets and committing petty acts of crime… or at least they were"

"Oh, what has become of the streets now?" Thoice asked with minimal interest

"Well, they have started to kill random people on the streets…" Sammy said tactfully "at first it was a prostitute there, and a drug dealer there. But overtime, they've made the occasional kill on someone who mattered" Sammy said.

"Someone who mattered? Like whom?" Sierra asked with her sympathetic eyes appearing to wet with tears of deaths.

"Oh, like he really cares. Seems these criminals are doing his job for him" Thoice muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Sierra to hear and subsequently, elbow him yet again.

"Well, they have gotten to a few members of the Liberty League, and a few business men to name a few" Sammy said carefully "But most shocking, was that they got to councilman nine" Sammy said remorsefully.

"Nine? Thomas?" Sierra asked, to which Sammy nodded back "Oh, poor Thomas" Sierra said as her eyes watered up.

"Seems to work for you Samuel, now that Thomas is dead, who would dare oppose your fascist rule now?" Thoice said, looking Sammy right in the eyes with malice.

"Fascist rule! Surely you jest Master Thoice. I merely want to protect my city!" Sammy cried in outrage "If a few liberties must be given up, to ensure my city's safety. Then by god, I shall abandon every liberty known to man!" the squirrel raved while his councilmen applauded his remark.

"Protect? No thanks Samuel, I'd rather die a man of no city, than an oppressed citizen of yours" Thoice said coolly as he walked out of the council hall to hear the angry Sammy muttering curses under his breath.

He strolled out of parliament, in a foul mood. The clouds had fully obscured the sun, and had taken the form of rain clouds, darkening the sun behind their inky grey bodies. He took to the street and slowly walked down the path till he heard Sierra yell behind him.

"Thoice, slow down damn it!" as she ran up to catch him. "I get you don't like Sammy's plan, but I mean… come on. He only has the best interest of the city at heart" she said sympathetically.

"Sierra, how can you say that? For citizens to collectively give up their rights… that seems like a fate worse than death. Sure it solves a short term problem, like this Crime Syndicate. But long term, well that is just asking for worse." Thoice said as he saw her contemplate what he said. "Sierra, think about it. If you don't have any rights, then you're just a pawn of the government. So what if you're safe from outside threats? The government owns you, and would have the right to use you for anything. Does that sound utopian to you?"

"Ok, I guess your right Thoice… but still. Try arguing with Sammy like that. Ya know, instead of calling him a fascist…" she teased as she slipped her arm back in through his and walked with him.

The two walked into the nearby park and a bright light reflected off of the pond. It slowly eclipsed Thoice's vision until…

***Shine***

The dark cave had returned, and Thoice was in some large room that had a few torches on the wall. Some carvings appeared in the back of the room, and there were some possessions kicked around, but namely the room was deserted.

"Damn it Thoice, you have to get control of your own mind. I can't afford to keep slipping into the past every-other-day!" he cursed at himself, as he clawed his arm. Oddly enough, no blood came from the wound, but the pain was more than real. "Ouch! Ok, maybe that'll work" he winced as the pain subsided.

He walked around the cave, his feline eyes slowly adapting to the squalid lighting conditions. He looked at the carvings, and slowly he was able to figure out what was carved into the wall.

"Sierra!" he cried out as he noticed that he had seen the same pattern in her painting. It looked almost like a 'V', but the two lines didn't quite connect. They lines dropped like a pair of fangs, and there were four horizontal lines carved in to the left line, whereas the right line only possessed three horizontal lines. Above the entire fang was the shape of a halo, but the halo started over the right fang, and dissipated towards the left fang, only to reconstruct itself upon reaching back to the right fang.

"What does this even mean though!" Thoice cried out as he grabbed his locket, as if holding a picture of Sierra would help him to understand.

Some time passed, and Thoice just sat there on the floor of the cave, looking at the wall, desperately trying to figure out what it could mean. He was slowly drawing his ideas into the loose dirt he sat on, trying to figure out what it could mean.

"Well… left tends to be the hand of deceit. Evil, perhaps. There are seven deadly sins, so perhaps four of the sins are represented as 'evil', and the remaining three are on the 'pure' or, more so, virtuous … fang?" he said, trying to believe himself as he said such an outlandish thing.

As he looked at the wall, he noticed a small heart shape indent in the wall. "Wait a sec…" he said, as he grabbed his locket. He slid the chain off his neck, and looked at the locket in its entirety. "…Heart-shaped….." he said aloud as he pressed the locket into the indent.

As he pressed the locket into the slit, the wall started to shake as it fell into the ground. Dust kicked up the entire room and Thoice could hear the startling sound of a ravage creature snarling at him. At the same time, he could hear what sounded like an explosion, being set off right in front of him.

***BOOM***

"Thoice, you seem a little off" Sierra said as the two enjoyed a walk outside of the city. The moon was overhead, and its eerie glow radiated off of the crops that were grown around the city. The nearby lake bathed in the light, giving the appearance that the water itself could produce light. The wildlife had become completely silent, or at least that was how it seemed.

Thoice looked down at his hand and saw that Sierra was holding it as she looked up into his eyes. "Oh, nothing Sierra. I was just thinking about our future…" he said, wanting to say the word 'together' at the end of the sentence… as usual.

"A little un-nerving, don't you think? I can't believe Sammy has declared war on the Crime Syndicate… I guess you were right when you said the power would go to his head." Sierra said, with a cute grin on her face, as she had gotten used to Thoice's predications about Sammy coming true.

"Yeah… I fear for the safety of all of Galextrium's citizens…" he said, a black laugh accompanying his remark.

"I will fight against Sammy's laws, don't you worry sweetie" she said, as the two of them had expressed that they already had feelings for each other.

"I know dear… I just wish that … well we … could… ya know" he managed to say.

"I know Thoice, I know" she said, as she looked out to the lake "But I have much too still do. Besides, I have never lived on my own before, let me enjoy this" she said, with a slight tease in her voice as she cuddled into Thoice's side.

"I mean, I know you still miss your father, and such… but come on babe. Why can't we see what could happen between us?" Thoice said a twinge of hope in his voice.

"Thoice, if you're going to keep trying to pursue me, then I can promise you that 'we' will never be" she said, as she nuzzled into him. "Just let me enjoy my life, and you enjoy yours. If we are meant to be together, then it'll happen soon enough" she said calmly.

"But Sierra…" Thoice said as she raised her hand to place over his mouth

"Thoice, if you carry this conversation on any further, then I will have to leave you. And frankly, I'm enjoying your warmth right now, so it'd be best if you just be quiet and enjoy the moon. Ok tiger?" she teased, as she cuddled into him.

"_I suppose she's right… we can worry about 'us' later. Let's just enjoy life for now"_ he thought, as he looked out to the moon-bathed water and enjoyed the site. He just enjoyed the peace that she brought into his life, almost like he was able to forget his past… almost.

***shudder***

The caves started to shake as Thoice looked madly around the room to see the recently opened locket-door in front of him. He quickly dove inside as the room behind him lifted up with dust.

"Damn it Thoice! I told you to claw yourself to keep your sanity" he remarked oxymoronically to himself, as he looked down to see a stream of new claw marks on his arm "Oh… I guess you did…" he said dumbfoundly, as he inspected his wounds.

"Christ, I might actually kill myself if I keep this up" he said, as he drew out a bottle of a healing solvent out of his inner pocket to apply to his wounds "So, just to clarify with myself. I'm subject to vivid flashbacks into my past… and I can't break the connection with pain" he said aloud as the healing solvent seared into his open wounds.

After the pain subsided, he looked around the room. He saw what appeared to be a long-since abandoned bedroom. On one of the nearby counters he saw a few picture frames sitting up. The bed was a simple little bed, covered in what appeared to once be blue sheets, but they had far since faded away. There were a few drawers and dressers around the room, but everything seemed to be taken, except for the decaying bed and a few picture frames on a shanty counter.

Thoice walked over to the counter to inspect the pictures, to see they were once his own. He saw a picture of him and Sierra walking into town. A picture of them signing some legislature being passed. A picture of Sierra running through some fields at night, and a picture of Thoice brewing some potions for the city hospital. A picture of Thoice's decaying house was seen to the left.

"My house…" he said, as he picked up the picture. "I remember thee, so many memories. I had finally found peace in that incredibly small abode I called home" he reminisced as he remembered the life he once had. But something caught his eye, one last picture frame that seemed to be on the floor, broken glass littered around it.

Thoice bent over to pick it up, and turned it around to see the picture had been taken from it. But even with it gone, he recognized the frame. "Me… and Sierra. My birthday" he said tearfully, as he remembered the exact picture. It was the two of them, sharing a cute kiss under the moon light on his birthday… many years ago.

"Why would someone take a picture of me and Sierra kissing?" he asked, partly worried that the picture might be lost forever, thus denying him the past he felt that he rightfully deserved. "Why GOD! Why, can't I, ever find peace!" he cried out as he threw the frame back to the ground and held his head in anguish.

After what seemed like minutes, he finally collected himself, and looked around the room once more. "Well, whoever lived her had some knowledge on how to hide… that is for certain" he said, twirling the locket in his hand. "I want to say Sierra lived here… but I have no definitive proof… chances are this is just a trap for me" he said dejectedly as he placed the locket back around his neck. He heard glass shatter.

***Shatter***

"Finally, I have figured a way of delivering a cure into one's blood stream, without having to cause permanent scaring" Thoice said, as he held a crude contraption in his hand.

The contraption was a glass tube, with a cork wedged in through one side, and a plunger placed in through the other. The cork had a thin placed needle through it, and a pool of liquid populated the glass tube. "With this device, I shall be able to properly 'inject' one with whatever cure will relieve them of their symptoms" he said with a smile.

"Very good master Thoice, very good" said the gentleman in the corner. He wore a brown bowler hat, and a coat that matched its color. He had a pair of pinstripe pants, and a beautifully furnished walking cane, with a small emerald donned upon it.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Thoice asked, reaching into his jacket pocket to check to see if his poison vials were still there.

"Oh, don't mind me. I'm just a… contractor, as it were" the man said, with a hiss.

"I getcha, you're a mob boss aren't you?" Thoice said accusingly.

"Close, try government sector" the man said as he walked over to Thoice.

"Well then, talk pal" Thoice said as he dipped his left claw into the poison.

"Hear me out, pal. We have heard that you can create not only the greatest potions known to man… but the deadliest poisons known as well" the man said, ambition ringing in his voice.

"So what if I can?" Thoice said defensively.

"So? So you can help us out. We want to buy both your services" he said, as he stopped next to Thoice's workbench.

"I'll sell you the potions, poultices and solvents" Thoice said calmly "but the poisons… those aren't for sale" he said adamanetly.

"Look kid, either you sell me both, or you might… have an 'accident', if ya catch my drift" the man said, snapping his fingers as three large men walked into the room. A large black bear, a tough looking fox and a burly alligator, respectively.

"And I said" Thoice replied as he lifted his left claw from his pouch "You may buy the brews that can help people"

"Well… why is that?" the man asked calmly as the goons drew out their firearms and aimed at Thoice.

"Because, no man should have access to these death brews" Thoice said calmly "I insist, please find another way to spread your black plague of death. I shan't be tied to the obituaries of history" Thoice said.

"Well, alright kid. We won't buy the poison off ya" the man said, to which Thoice sighed and relaxed his arm "We will buy you to do the job directly"

"The hell you will!" Thoice said as he stiffened his arm again to hear guns being primed for firing.

"Calm down there kiddo, you might want to listen to my pitch" the man said, to which Thoice had no choice but to relax and listen to him. "If you don't sell us the poison, then you're stuck doing it yourself. I'm fine with that. Your alternative, is that we will come in and kill you, reverse-engineer your poisons and do this ourselves. Frankly, that costs a ridiculous amount of money, and I'd prefer to keep my bottom-line minimal" the man said with a coarse laugh.

"On two conditions" Thoice said

"Name it kid" the man replied

"If I am sent out as your arbiter of death, and fulfill your contracts of death, on targets I agree on. Then you promise me that you'll let me keep my recipe to myself, and take it to the grave" Thoice said

"Hmmmm…. I'll have to think about it…." The man said, rubbing his hands together as he thought.

"You have a minute" Thoice said, as he carefully analyzed the room to find a combat advantage.

"Ok, ok. You have a deal. I'll give you a couple hundred targets we need to have snuff'd. You pick out fifty of them, and we have a deal" the man said.

"Make it ten" Thoice said back.

"Twenty five" he argued back

"Twelve" Thoice retorted

"Twenty" the man said.

"Fourteen" Thoice said calmly

"Sixteen take it or leave it" the man said.

"_Sixteen lives, sent to the depths of hell through my own personal hand… can I live with that?"_ he thought as he said "Fine, sixteen it is. But I die with my recipes, got it?" Thoice demanded.

"Kid, you do your job right, and I won't ever need your services again." The man said with a laugh as he walked out of the room.

"_God, I hope I just didn't sign my passage papers to hell"_ Thoice thought, as the poison dripped off his claw and sizzled into the ground below.

***Scree!***

A horde of bats flew past Thoice as he looked around the room to see that he was sitting on the decomposing bed. "Christ! Again with my past!" he cried out as he got up and kicked the mattress over. He saw a note tied to the bottom of the mattress.

"Dear Thoice, I know what you seek. Meet me out at Never Lake, near Little Planet, at night." Thoice read from the note, noticing that the note seemed rather new.

"Interesting, why would a clean piece of parchment be found here … in a secret room of a cave…." He pondered, as he pocketed the note. "Furthermore, what is a 'Never Lake' and why night?"

He slowly fumbled around the room till he found some lever, he pulled it and the wall caved in under itself. A staircase was revealed, and he slowly walked out of the room and up the stairwell. He could see the outside clouds, and the moon's glow. "Well, I've been in the cave for some time, now haven't i?"he said sarcastically to himself as he got back onto normal land.

As if by design, the room behind him exploded and threw Thoice into the forest. He rolled down a hill and ended up in a bush, completely disoriented. "_How is this still my luck… after a hundred-something years… and I still can't land on my feet"_ he thought and he struggled out of the bush.

He looked ahead and saw a faint shine in the distance; it appeared to be a faint green glow. "Well, I might as well explore these jungles while I'm out here" he said, checking his inner pocket for the letter he had just acquired. Feeling it still there, he begun to slowly walk towards this glowing green light source.

Sometime passed, and Thoice had finally reached some anomaly of an island. It floated, across from him, connected to the mainland only by a bridge. "Crazy… we called this land 'Angel's rock'… and if memories serves, there should be an all-powerful civilization living on the other side" he said hopefully, as he walked across the wooden bridge.

He crossed into only more jungle and foliage, but the green glow was significantly closer than it was from earlier. Time passed, and Thoice watched as the stars slowly started to dance from behind the moon's ever-present glow. He came to a clearing, where he saw the ruins of some shrine in-front of him.

"My word, this 'mighty civilization' seems to be long gone" he noticed, as he walked into the clearing. Upon the shrine was a beautifully large green emerald, slowly rotating upon the altar. "To the heavens and beyond, mine eyes have not beheld a more beautiful stone" he exclaimed as he walked over to the stone to pay reverence to it.

"Hey, it's you!" came a familiar rough voice, Thoice turned to see a red echidna walking over to him, his fists raised ready for a fight. "Think you can just slash me once and call it quits!" he cried out angrily.

"I warned you sir, and yet you did not heed my warning, so I had to do what I did. I'm truly apologetic, but you must understand my circumstances" Thoice said, trying to calm the angry man.

"Nice try bub, but your taking a hefty beating for what you did" the man replied with no hesitation of stopping.

"Then you leave me no choice but to defend myself, I apologize in advance for what must be done" Thoice said politely as he bowed to the approaching man. In the motion of bowing, he quickly dipped his left claw into the poison kept in his pocket, and then assumed a defensive fighting stance, his right paw held out ahead to parry any coming attack.

"So be it!" the echidna yelled, as he rushed over to Thoice, his arms raised in defiance. He quickly approached upon Thoice, bring his arm to connect with him, to which Thoice simply used his right paw to push the punch away. The echidna had anticipated this, and swung with his second fist. Thoice, having already been three steps ahead of this hot-tempted man, leaned back to avoid the fist, and land one quick cut across his assailants arm.

Thoice then rolled out from underneath his attacker's stance, and swept his tail under the echidna's legs, causing the man to fall toward the ground.

"Oh, so you landed one hit on me, I'm not done with you!" the echidna cried out in defiance, struggling to stand up.

"Oh please, don't embarrass yourself. You have a numbing toxin running through your blood stream, you'll be lucky to even properly stand straight, let alone attack me again." Thoice said calmly as he looked at the green emerald in the altar.

"I don't care what toxin runs through my veins, no one is touching the Master Emerald!" the man cried out as he started to move toward Thoice, ready to fight again.

"Sir, please don't make me have to strike you a second time. We will both regret what will happen next" Thoice said in a peaceful tone

"Screw you man, no one toys with the guardian of the Master Emerald" he cried back.

"Have it your way" Thoice said, as he walked over to the echidna, and quickly swept his leg under the agitated man's legs, causing him to fall to the ground, where Thoice then swung one quick scratch with his left claw upon the man's other arm.

"Ugh! This… won't… stop…me!" the man said in defiance, as the green emerald started to glow brighter and brighter.

"My, what a phenomenon, don't you agree kind sir" Thoice inquired as he watched the gem shine brilliantly.

"Shut up!" the man roared as he sprung back up to his feet and proceeded to rain a stream of punches upon Thoice. Thoice, quickly, saw this flurry of attacks, and begun to bob and weave between them, feeling time slowly distort itself around him, as he was able to carefully anticipate and dodge every incoming punch.

"_Golly, I guess I'm still pretty spry for an old man"_ Thoice grinned as he carefully applied a stream of new cuts upon his attacker's body. One strong cut upon his chest and a couple light abrasions across the ribs and legs. "_There we go, enough numbing toxin to drop an elephant"_ Thoice thought.

The red echidna started to pant, and soon was having a hard time even holding his arms up, and eventually fell to the ground, streaming a string of cusses.

"I did warn you, now before you pass into oblivion, you may give me your name so I have something to put on the tombstone. And, while you're at it, explain the importance of this magnificent gem to me" Thoice said coolly.

"Knuckles. The name is Knuckles the Echidna… and I'm the guardian of the Master… Emerald" he managed to say.

"Ok, well Knuckles. Do you wish to live?" Thoice asked casually.

"Yes… I am the last of my kind. And I must… protect… the …. Emerald…" he said as his breaths became deeper and less frequent.

"Very well, I shall cure you. But, in turn, you must answer some questions I have. Do we have a deal?" Thoice asked

"…..Yes…." he said

"Good" Thoice dug into his inner pocket and grabbed a few vials of chemicals. He quickly mixed a few, and dipped his right claw into it. He then punctured the man's chest with the chemically dipped tip of his claw, to which the echidna cried out in pain. Thoice retracted his claws, and sat there watching the process commence.

Knuckles stopped breathing for a second, then the breathing picked back up and soon he had a normal series of breaths. Color returned to his body and he soon pushed himself up from the ground, where he sat in defiance as his body slowly began to repair itself.

"What did you do to me, cat?" he said angrily.

"What I did, was poison you with a numbing toxin to discourage you from fighting me. Then, upon your request, I administered the antidote. Your welcome" Thoice replied with a slight grin.

"Oh… well… thanks? I guess" Knuckles said, as he tried to stand.

"Yeah, don't do that for a sec. You're going to have to wait for the antidote to complete a full round in your body" Thoice said casually.

"Why would a coward fight with poison?" he replied in anger.

"I'm no coward. I'm also no warrior. I wish I never had to fight, kill or end lives. But sadly, such is life. I simply come prepared" Thoice said in a somber tone.

"I meant no offense" Knuckles said, after hearing that Thoice had killed. "Have you really… ended lives?" he asked.

Thoice simple nodded, and said "Yes… a long time ago. But let's not forget out deal. You have some answers for me. The first question I wish to ask is what does this gem do?"

"The Master Emerald is what controls the power of the Chaos Emeralds. On top of that, it unifies the chaos of the world and helps to keep Angel Island float. On top of that, it houses the god of chaos 'Chaos' as well as a wealth of events from our past" the echidna replied proudly.

"Then you must be very proud to be its guardian. Bless you, protector of the sacred" Thoice said, as he bowed in reverence to his defeated opponent. "Second question, you ever hear of a 'Never Lake'?" Thoice asked.

"Uhm… once… a while ago. You'd have to ask Sonic on the whereabouts… well that or Amy." Knuckles said.

"Sonic is that blue hedgehog, am I correct?" Thoice said, remembering the museum exhibit.

"Yeah, can't miss him. The other one, Amy, is a pink hedgehog. If I were you, I'd take your chances asking Sonic. That girls is just… a little off" Knuckles warned.

"Fair enough, do you know where I could find either one?" Thoice asked. Knuckles gave him address, and Thoice thanked him for his cooperation.

"If you ever want to have friendly, non-poison enhanced fight, I'll be here. Or heck, I could teach you some history of this island" Knuckles offered.

"I'd really appreciate that Knuckles" Thoice said, as he shook his new friend's hand and proceeded to leave the island.

"_Man, seems that I can never just have an easy path in life"_ Thoice thought as the wooden bridge came into sight. He soon crossed the bridge and headed his way through the jungle, when the urge to sleep slowly overwhelmed him.

"No, must at least get back to town…" he said, as he found his way into a clearing with a large stone structure.

**One!**

"One what?" Thoice replied, as Sierra held up one finger.

"Geez Thoice, don't you even pay attention to me anymore?" she asked, her eyes appearing to be saddened by this possible fact.

"No... No, I didn't mean it like that. I just…. Was thinking of something else…" he said

"Ugh, I swear. We could be on our honeymoon night, and you'll probably be to 'distracted' to even become one with me…" she teased, eliciting a blush from Thoice "there, now that I have your attention. It has been one year since we became best friend!" she said with a happy smile.

"Wha?" he asked dumbly "Sierra… I meet you about two or so years ago though…." He slowly said.

"Yeah? So? We didn't become besties until after you started helping me to brew potions" she said back, as if it was obvious.

"Really? I guess that makes sense…" he said unconvincingly "_really Sierra… why are you so…. Sierra?"_ he grinned.

"Yeah… also, since you are now… well… less-than-trusted by parliament, I'm the Royal Alchemist of this land" she said, sticking her tongue out at him "Means I'm better than you…. Or at least, on paper" she giggled.

"Cute, what they clearly know is that they can use you, to get my recipes without my cynicism" he joked.

"I guess… so you know how best friends celebrate a year of friend ship?" she asked, in a playful manner.

"Honestly, I wouldn't know… I've never had a friend for so long" he laughed back, knowing that was the truth.

"They tell each other super secret secrets and hang out all day!" she said, as she jumped to hug Thoice.

"Ugh! Ok? I guess… who starts?" he replied, curious about what he could learn about Sierra.

"I'll start, Mr. Best-Friend-for-a-year-virgin" she teased "Ok… uhm. Do you know why I love the night so much?" she asked.

"Can't say I do, I just assumed you were a night owl" he said.

"Lynx. I'm a lynx, gosh Thoice" she laughed "Naw, it's because I have a certain medical condition that prevents me from enjoying the beauty of a day under the sun" she said soulfully.

"Wait, so you've been wearing all those elaborate outfits, and such because the sun hurts you?" he asked

"Yeah… the sun burns me Thoice. I really don't like it, I'm forced to live a life behind door and under roofs" she said, with a tear in her eye.

"That is so precious" he said, as he wiped her tear away "And here I thought you just like to make a fashion statement" he joked "_makes sense, I just thought she was someone who was just deficient in some vitamins or something"_ he thought.

"Yeah… it is really a tough life at times. Having to adjust your life around the time with the moon out … or clouds… and so forth" she said sadly.

"Could I possibly brew you a potion that would allow you to enjoy the beauty of a day under the sun?" he asked curiously.

"I guess it is possible, especially for you… but please don't dedicate your life to finding some 'cure' for me to go play under the sun" she said, almost too cautiously. "_As if brewing potions for a sinful city is more important than your happiness?"_ he thought.

"Ok, so that is my secret. Which you have to keep to yourself, ok?" she asked, almost threatenly as it was cute.

"Yes, I promise" he laughed as he placed his paw over his heart and swore to keep her secret. She simply smiled and asked what his was. "_Good question… I have so many things I wish I could just keep to myself…"_ he thought, not sure what to say. "_Do I trust her?"_ he asked himself.

"Have I ever told you about the first time I had to kill someone?" he asked

"No…" she replied.

"This is something I have kept secret from everybody in the world, not even the coroner knows how I did it" he said, with a sadistic sense of pride.

"Oh, tell me" she said, with eagerness in her eyes.

"Well… I was …. 'hired' I guess you could say, to take out a couple targets" he begun to say

"Sixteen, right?" she interrupted.

"Yes, but please let me tell the story" he laughed, as she giggled back and let him "Now, like I was saying, I was 'hired' to take out a few people. Well I chose my first target to be some corrupt businessman." He said

"Ya see, this old badger had been doing quite a few illegal things with his company. He had been doing some illegal trading, slave labor and actual crime" Thoice said, trying to justify why he picked this target "This man clearly had no morals, and thus was destined to spend an eternity in Hell. Who was I to argue when he shall meet his maker?"

"Well, I researched my target carefully and learned quite a lot about him. For starters, did you know he likes to drink a cup of tea every night before bed?" Thoice asked, as Sierra shook her head "Well, that was vital information to me. All I had to do was figure the right herb to change with his tea, and cause his death without anyone being the wiser" Thoice said, remembering how he did it.

"I learned where he acquired his tea, and I slipped in disguised as one of the workers of the factory. He came in to get his latest batch of tea bags, for his precious tea. Little did he know, I changed the main herb with something almost completely identical. And I also added a slight catalyst agent into the mix that would cause the herb to be much more deadly than nature intended…" Thoice said carefully.

"Well then what happened?" Sierra asked, her eyes wide with anticipation

"Well, with the tea safely given to him, all I had to do was wait. I took up another target in that time, and learned through the newspaper of his death. I would love to say that I read the paper and had forgotten about that man until then… but to be honest… I spent every night for those two years, thinking about the lives I was ending and how tragic it had to be as one of their loved ones…" Thoice said, feeling a tear building on his eye.

"When I saw the old badger on the front page of the newspaper, I knew my work was done. But it got worse. They apparently ran an entire autopsy on him, and they couldn't pin-point the cause of death. They ended up declaring it a death cause by old age, as to seem there wasn't some killer pulling the strings behind the scenes." Thoice said coolly.

"Time passed, and I finished my …. 'job'. But his death, along with his fifteen unlucky associates, all haunt me still… to this day" Thoice finished.

"Aw, baby" Sierra said with a sympathetic face as she wiped his tear away "Think of it this way, you helped make the world a better place" she said

"Argue it however you see fit, but I still took sixteen lives in cruel and painful ways" he said, remembering the mixture that ended the badger's life.

"Sometimes… the right thing isn't always the easiest thing" she said, in a voice that seemed to understand his situation far too well.

"I guess your right" he said….

***coo* *coo***

An owl said as it flew from the branches and took a mouse back to the branch with it. Thoice noticed he was standing in front of this large stone structure still.

"Damn it all! Another cruel visit to my past!" he cried aloud, wishing that he could just understand why. "God, if there is a meaning to this, please… tell me?" he wished to the heavens, as he found a dense place of trees near the structure. He looked around and noticed a few bushes and a couple logs.

He quickly fashioned a crude shelter, and proceeded to curl up underneath it. He played with the locket in his paw as he read the letter one last time, thinking about what it could all mean. He finally placed the locket back on his neck and the letter back in his pocket as he closed his eyes.

"_Sierra… whatever riddles you left for me, I will find out the answer"_ he vowed as sleep took him.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh shush, i didn't use enough flashbacks! Haha. No, but hold on reader, i'm not done yet. The next chapter shall be of this same vein, and then we shall be picking up the piece of Thoice's life. Did you enjoy some explanations to his past? Was it too confusing? I dunno, you tell me. Yes, still taking submits for an Original Character, feel free to PM your idea to me, or hit up my Forum, located on my Profile page. Also, hit up my profile for THIS summary as well as what is to come in chapter 4. <strong>

**Peace, love and dedication,**

**Steven 'ZiGeNaToR' Ziegler**


	4. Left

**Author's note:**

**So here is chapter 4. Yes, Flashbacks exist. And will be used sparingly from this chapter on... but as you see, Thoice has a very eventful life... one that requires flashbacks to help the reader to understand. I really liked this chapter, for some twisted reason... i hope you do to. Still taking Original Characters from the community, feel free to PM me or hit up my Forum to post your idea. **

**-Enjoy**

* * *

><p><strong>Left<strong>

"Dear God, I've ended a man's life… and I didn't even have to watch him die…" Thoice said, as he sat at his kitchen table, a cup of tea to his left and the newspaper in front of him. The headline read 'Rich Badger found dead'.

"All I did was change the ratio in his herbal tea… to something of a fatal mix… and now…" Thoice said as he looked at his paws "… well now… now I have blood on my paws, and I never so much as touched this man. Can I really do this fifteen more times?" he asked his reflection in the cup of tea.

"_I mean, really. My next lined up target is the CEO of a weapons manufacturing firm. His death will probably be the same, done so indirectly that I'll be numb till I read his death as a headline in a paper…"_ Thoice thought as he took a slow sip of tea.

He finished his cup of tea and took it to the counter to be washed and placed back in the cupboard. All while he felt the sin slowly soaking into his soul. As he reached to place his cup in the shelf, it slipped out of his hands.

"_Imagine life like this falling glass… Fragile, precious and easy to shatter. Watch as it shatters into nothing, much like the man's life you ended"_ he thought as he watched the glass fall in what seemed slow motion.

***Shatter***

Thoice woke up on the floor of the forest, covered in leaves and branches. The sun had cast a simple shine over the sky, but was covered behind a thin layer of clouds. Simply giving its light with none of its heat, which Thoice found oddly relaxing. He got up and stretched as he thought over the events of the prior day.

"What was I going to do today?" he thought as he searched the inside of his jacket instinctively, and found a folded up piece of paper. He took it out and read the letter from the cave. "That's right, Never Lake. Knuckles said I could find a hedgehog to tell me how to get there…" Thoice said as he begun to walk back to the city.

"_Sierra, I will find you. I promise to God himself"_ he swore to the heavens as he prayed in a moment of silence as he stood over the hill that would lead him down to the city. As soon as he sent his prayer, he skipped off the hill and begun his long walk to the metropolis down below.

"Odd… typically when I wake up after a good day or so of not eating, I should be famished. Yet here I am, clearly sated as I was the prior day… must be some adverse reaction to being 'time-frozen' for so long" he said, giving his own experience a name finally.

The city welcomed Thoice with its bustling sounds and shiny metal buildings and sense of urgency. "My, how does one call such a place home?" he exclaimed as he felt the transition from the peace of the jungle to the chaos of the city.

He walked into the city, his eyes panning around the landscape looking for anything that might help him in his search. As the day slowly dragged on, all Thoice found out is that people have gotten lazier and more disrespectful towards one another. "_My lord, if they acted as such in my time period, they would find themselves clapped in irons"_ he thought with a grin as he walked towards the upper-district of the city.

As he walked towards the city's main infrastructure, he noticed the black hedgehog walking down the city streets with some bat. "_Christ, I hope they don't notice me"_ Thoice thought as he quickly turned into a nearby store. Using his prowess as a cat, he snagged a baseball cap with 'Central City' written on it, and a pair of mittens. He donned the two with ease and walked back out of the store and tried his best to appear as just another ingrate walking down the street.

"There! Right there, that faker" the hedgehog said aloud to the bat, as Thoice's ear panned to hear the dispute.

"_Damn I've been spotted"_ he thought with a bead of worry rolling down his face. He looked casually to his right, across the street, to see the hedgehog pointing at anger at some large depiction of the blue hedgehog.

"Can you believe it? They are worshipping this faker over me!" he said indignantly.

"_Wow, someone sure has a very high self image of one's self"_ Thoice thought with a grin as he continued up the street, confidence again returning in his ability to disguise himself among a crowd. He continued walking up the street till he found himself nearing a series of apartment complexes.

A pink hedgehog was leaving a complex with Cream, his friend from the library. "_Funny work fate. Giving me someone I can use to accomplish this task, before the task was ever given"_ Thoice thought, enjoying the irony. He then followed the two girls, slowly trying to catch up to them without drawing any suspicion to himself.

They walked into some large building named 'Station Square's First Bank'. "_Interesting, so they possess the math potential to work with currency but not the social etiquette to not appear as complete fools to one another? My how society changes…"_ he thought as he stood outside of the establishment thinking of what he will say when he sees Cream again, and how to ask her friend about Never Lake in such a way that it doesn't draw suspicion from other people. "_I don't want everyone getting in the way of danger, purely out of curiosity"_ he rationalized.

"This is a hold up, Get down on the floor! All of you!" a loud voice shouted from inside, and people screamed in reaction to the man's demands. Gunshot was heard and the people quickly fell silent as the man began dictating orders.

"Well, time to go enjoy getting shot at" Thoice said with a sarcastic smile on his face as he dipped his left claw back into his poison pouch. He ran through the door and saw the customers, as well as Cream and her friend, off in the corner of the room. Some group of men with guns seemed to have the customers in their gun's sights, clearly asserting the fact they had control.

Thoice didn't even take a second to think of his implications; he grabbed a nearby paper weight off of a desk and threw it at the men, knocking one in the face. He fell back and shot his friend as he fell, forcing his friend to drop his gun and fall down in agony. "_It's almost like those rabbits in the kingpins den…" _he thought as he rushed to engage the last man in close quarters combat.

The man, fully aware of Thoice now, started taking shots at him. The first few missed, one clipped Thoice in the shoulder, which caused him to recoil in pain but he continued to run at the man, his claw drenched in poison. The man fired two more shots, hitting Thoice in the left leg and once in the chest. Thoice managed to make his way to the gunman and with a swift swing of his hand, knocked the gun out of the man's grasp and spun around to sweep his claw clear across the man's chest.

The wound ran deep, and the blood drenched Thoice's white paw, as the man fell back in pain. His agonizing shriek of pain silenced as the man was unable to continue breathing with ease. "_Damn it, I placed the poison far too deep… Now I have to heal him"_ Thoice thought tiredly, feeling his body slowly succumb to the pain the reverberated throughout it.

He reached into his right pocket, with his right paw, and found a vial. He uncorked the top and lightly dripped the solution on the man's open wounds, and then he padded the wound with the man's own shirt. He then tore the shirt off into smaller rags and wrapped them around the wound. "_Being good sucks…"_ Thoice thought half-mindedly as he applied the remedy to his own poison.

He then walked over to the other two men and slightly pricked them with his poison drenched left paw, and limped over to the hostages to check to see how they were doing.

"Mr. Thoice. Your hurt" Cream cried out sadly as he limped over to her

"It's nothing Cream, I've had worse" he said as he thought about the pain he felt as he impacted his steel coffin.

"But still, you need medical attention. The bad man shot you a couple times" the rabbit said, tears running down her face.

"Cream…" Thoice said as he fell to one knee in front of her "It's alright, I just didn't want you to get hurt by some bad people" he said, feeling the toll on his body.

"And I thank you Mr. Thoice, but still. You need medical attention" she said again, her tears slowing down

"Now" Thoice said, now having a tough time breathing "Is anyone else here in need of medical attention?" he asked, as he fell to his knees.

"You idiot, you need it most of all" the pink hedgehog said as she took out some rectangular device and proceeded to press some buttons upon it "Cream, take care of this guy while I get some help" she said as she walked off with her rectangle device.

"Cream… it's alright. Look, I'm not hurt that bad" Thoice managed to say, as he pulled back his coat to reveal the wounds. The bullets traveled clear through him, but no blood surfaced at any of the wounds. They all merely looked like they punched through a piece of paper, but even still, the pain was more than real.

"But Mr. Thoice, they shot you. Why aren't you bleeding and dying?" she asked curiously

"Because I did the right thing Cream, and the good people are spared the pain" he managed to say calmly, past the intense pain surging through his body "_Good question Cream, I should be dying right now… or at the very least, bleeding…"_he thought

"Then why do so many innocent people die each year?" she asked

"Because God has other plans for them" he replied simply

"God? Who is a 'God'?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity

"Who is God? Surely you jest, don't the people of the future have faith?" Thoice asked, for once being puzzled by the future.

"I have faith in my friends. I have faith that you will protect me from gun-wielding bad men… but I've never heard of no 'God', nor do I think anyone has" she said plainly

"But…" Thoice said, unable to wrap his mind around such a phenomenon "Never mind. Cream, I'm going to need a few seconds to operate on myself, so can you help these kind people out of this building and check to make sure those bad men are both restrained as well as alive?" Thoice asked her, already reaching into his right pocket for a couple vials.

"Yes Mr. Thoice, I can. But why didn't you kill the bad people?" she asked innocently

"Because Cream, killing is wrong. Regardless of who it is, a death is a death. And as sentient beings, we are capable of better" Thoice plainly said as he began tearing up piece of his shirt for rags.

Cream skipped off to help the terrified customers and bank tellers out of the building, as Thoice begun tying off his leg to work on the bullet wound that tore through his left leg. "_This is going to hurt like hell"_ he thought as he prepared the vial over the open wound. As the solution connected with the wound, the pain shot through him like a searing fire. He then quickly wrapped his shirt-rag over the wound, and tied it tightly.

"One down, two to go" he said past his teeth, as he clenched in pain. He then prepared the one wound on his chest. Again, the solution reached the wound, pain seared throughout him and he tied another shirt-bandage to it. The shoulder was a tricky one to work with; as he had to remove the bullet that was wedged inside of his bone.

"I really should have brought some tweezers…" he said sarcastically as he extended his claws out of his left paw and carefully manipulated his sharpened claws around his wound. Each time he made contact, the poison on his claw burned his open flesh, but he kept going knowing that he had built up an immunity to the effects long ago. After a few minutes of fumbling around, he managed to extract the bullet and seal up the wound in the same fashion as the last two.

"There we go, good as new" he joked as he stood up and gingerly walked around to test his leg.

"Oh Mr. Thoice, you seem to be doing better already" Cream said as she finished tying the bank robbers up to a pole.

"Cream… that was highly unnecessary… but better safe than sorry, I would assume" he joked as he put his vials back into his pocket

"Mr. Thoice, do you always carry such wonderful medicine around with you?" she asked

"Yes Cream, always. The right pocket is for medicine" he said, as he gestured to his right pocket. "The left pocket, however… if for bad people" he said, wishing he never needed to be so prepared.

"So when you clawed that man's chest…" she begun to ask

"Correct… I transfused his blood with a numbing agent in my left claw. The poison quickly seeped throughout his body, and found the way to the heart, due to how deep I cut him. If it wasn't for my quick acting, he wouldn't be alive right now" Thoice said plainly

"My Mr. Thoice, you seem like a man who has had a tough life" she said innocently

"_You have no idea Cream"_ he thought as he looked around the room for the pink hedgehog "Cream, where is your friend?" he asked as he walked over to a seat to give his body some rest

"I dunno, I'll go find Amy, just wait here and relax" she ordered as she skipped off to find her friend.

"_Amy eh? Cute name…"_ he found himself thinking as his eyes got heavy.

***Knock* *Knock***

"Come on in" Thoice said, sitting in his dark kitchen, the moon light coming through the window and illuminated a few beakers of his latest poison agents on the table.

"Good, I knew I could rely on you" the gentleman in the bowler hat said, his voice still maintaining that hiss-like feel to it

"Yeah… if by 'rely' you mean 'use me as a tool to your own sinful agenda'" Thoice said angrily as he watched his vials reflect the moon's light

"Now now, not so harsh. I did give you the choice. You chose to kill sixteen men, yourself. Heck, I even let you pick exactly which sixteen to kill" the man laughed

"Now you listen here!" Thoice said, as he threw one of his vials to the ground, the chemicals spilling around the floor "I never wanted this life! You forced me into either accepting or dying. Then, you managed to make me your pawn. Well, the deal is up. I've done your black death, now leave me be" Thoice said, a tear rolling down his eye as the memories flooded back

"I know I said I'd be free of your services after this… but that's the funny thing about my business… your never able to retire from this" the man said, his goons walking in behind him

"Look, I don't care if I have to kill for all eternity for you. But you promised me that I could destroy my formulas after this, and that you wouldn't dare try to reverse engineer any of it" Thoice said cautiously, his emotions slowly being compromised by the cruel show of memories dancing around his head "Do I still have your word that you won't dare try to use my formulas?" he asked plainly

"Yeah… I lied about that too. You're the best in the biz, boy. Sixteen murders in two years, and no one has a clue on how any of them died. Heck, I guess even by dumb luck, they could of all been accidents and I'd have no idea it was you to begin with" the man laughed

"I wish they were…" Thoice said coldly

"But yeah, now every firm out there wants their hands on you. Targets need killing, and you're the best at it kid. Don't squander your talents" the man said, his voice tempting Thoice "People are willing to pay a king's ransom to have you talents. You could own your own empire by the time this is done…" he went on to say

"True… I am unparallel in what I did…" he begun to reply "I have sinned more in the last two years than I dared to ever think I could…" he said with a tear as he knocked the other vial over.

"What are you trying to do!" the man said angrily, his goons pulling their guns out

"I'm getting my freedom from this life, even if I have to die to achieve it" Thoice smirked, as the chemical reaction took place on his floor. The room exploded with such force that the bodies were thrown from the house.

Thoice jumped out of the window during the explosion, and was thrown down a hill. He curled back up and began running into the nearby forest, heading anywhere but behind him.

"I'm free! Free God! Now I can atone for my past" he said, tears streaming down his face as he limped into the forest, the pain of the explosion still ricocheting around his insides.

"_But can I really… ever?"_ came the thought of doubt in his mind.

Thoice simply looked up at the moon, and felt the first true pangs of fear in his life. He stopped running and stood looking up at the sky, as he said "God… can I ever truly atone for my sin? I've done things unspeakable, and none but you and I know of this. Can a man as impure as me, ever find peace once more?" he asked the heavens.

Rain fell from the sky, and Thoice cried for himself, as he began his jog through the forest, heading where ever the wind would take him. Trusting his life to God's hands.

"Please lord… I ask only for the chance to be forgiven…" he said aloud as the wet steps through the mud and the sound of water hitting leaves accompanied him in his journey. The pain being his only friend as the moon lighted his way.

***Bang***

Thoice shot up in his seat, hearing another gunshot. He looked around and saw he was still in the bank, and the robbers were still tied up on a pole. He looked up at the clock and saw it wasn't even eleven o'clock yet.

"Why must I slowly, and painfully, relive my life lord?" he asked the ceiling, directing his question to what he believed to be a higher power.

"Oh there you are, I was worried sick you were going to die or something" Amy said

"Oh don't worry Amy, Thoice is tough and loyal. He rushed in here and did exactly what Sonic would have done" Cream chimed in

"_Good… so that Sonic character is indeed a hero type… this world could use more like him"_ Thoice thought as he said "It's alright. I've had worse, and I've done this sort of thing before" he said, a faint smile touching his lips

"You've had worse than being shot? What are you? Stupid and sexy?" Amy said aloud, not realizing what she said till it was far too late, where she simply blushed and turned away

"Cream, you're going to have to help me out here, what is this adjective 'sexy'?" Thoice asked

"Well Mr. Thoice… Amy is just saying your handsome" Cream said innocently

"_Lovely… but my heart is already given to another girl"_ Thoice found himself thinking "Well Miss, if you must know, I am Thoice Ocelot, and I am but a simple traveler looking for Never Lake. Hear of it?" he said deviously

"Well… yeah… but you're in no condition to go running off to such a dangerous place" she said passionately

"Please Miss Rose, I have a pressing matter to attend to, and I require knowledge of where this Never Lake is. Won't you assist me?" Thoice asked

"… Well" Amy replied, her cheeks blushing at the attention she was getting "Since you asked so well-spoken… and ya saved me … and such…" she flustered

"Cream… does this happen often?" Thoice asked the rabbit

"Only around Mr. Sonic… so, if the same thing happens here… you should be running away in a few moments" she replied with a laugh

"_Not in this condition I am"_ Thoice thought as he sighed "Miss Rose. Any day now?" he asked impatiently

"Look, I'll do ya one better. I'll take you there. But not until we get you checked out by a doctor and then you relax. Your new here right?" she said earnestly

"Correct. But I don't intend on staying. I really must get to Never Lake, it is a matter of the more extreme urgency" he said, as Amy grabbed his arm and started walking him out of the bank

"Quiet you, we are going to spend the day together and get to know you. Besides, we owe you for saving so many people" she said as the three headed outside to the nearby hospital

Upon leaving the bank, the crowd of people outside cheered when they saw Thoice, some called him a hero. A few even questioned if it was Sonic in disguise, on account of him saving them and being with Amy now.

A couple armed men in uniform walked up to them to ask them some questions

"Sir, might I ask you a few questions?" the lead man asked

"Make it quick, I apparently must be admitted to a hospital" he said, shooting a dirty look over to Amy, who merely blushed and looked away innocently

"Then I'll make it quick. What did you do to these robbers, and is it true you took three bullets for freedom?" the man said

"I merely used a simple numbing compound that makes the body ill fitted to act again for some time. Some call it paralysis" Thoice said, aggravated by being questioned as it ate away at time he could be spending at Never Lake "And yes. I took three bullets for what you call 'freedom'. I was simply doing what needed to be done, regardless of the costs. More people could learn to act like that" Thoice said as he turned to walk with Amy and Cream to the hospital

"Geez Thoice, did you really have to be so blunt with that officer?" Amy asked

"Typically I'd be but the most polite person, especially with dealing with members of the law. But as I have stated earlier, I need to head to Never Lake… and the sooner I get checked by one of your medical quacks, the sooner I can begin my journey" he stated plainly as the pain coursed through his body with each step

"Wow… so you really want to go there, don't you?" Amy marveled "Yeah… I was there once. It's where I met Sonic…" she said, as she started thinking back on the event.

"Whatever… so Cream, where is this hospital?" he asked the attentive rabbit

"Right down the road" she said, as she pointed to the large white building with a medical cross on it "But you seem to be doing just fine…" she stated

"Meh, I've just had worse in my life. I'm in pain… and oddly very thirsty…" he said a certain hunger gnawing away at his insides "_weird… I was perfectly sated before this bank incident"_ he thought.

The three walked inside, and Amy made the casual move of knocking Thoice's coat off, exposing the chest and shoulder wounds. The medical staff quickly assembled to him, as Thoice noticed the nearby televisions. They showed images from the security cameras in the bank, where Thoice was getting shot by the gunman, and all that followed. Showing extra emphasis on him getting shot, as well as performing first aid on the man he brought down as well as himself. The tag line read 'Mobius's new hero?'

"_Really… they've already berated this around all the news outlets? Damn the future has no life of its own"_ he thought as the doctor's escorted him to the back, Amy and Cream insisted on walking back there with him.

"Ok sir, we are going to have to ask you a few questions while we attend to your wounds, is that ok?" the doctor asked as his nurses prepared the exam table

"Ask whatever you will physician, lest us see if your oath be in vain?" Thoice said cleverly as he lay down on the table.

"Ok nurse can you remove his rudimentary bandages?" the doctor asked. She obliged as he proceeded to ask "Ok, I'm going to need your name and age. I can already see your gender" the doctor said with a laugh

"_Great… everyone is a comedian…"_ he thought "Name is Thoice Ocelot and I'm twenty-seven years old" he said, feeling a little bad about lying.

"Ok, great. But with the age part I'm going to need a date of birth" the doctor said as he had one of his nurses fill out the clipboard as he slipped on a pair of gloves

"Fair enough. April the first, fourteen forty-seven" Thoice said calmly

"Ha ha, good one" the doctor laughed as the nurse placed down the date "No, but really. We need your actual birth date"

"_Christ, I forgot about the time shift…"_ Thoice thought, finally realizing he had no idea what the current year was "uhm… sir. That was indeed my date of birth. Surely that can't be that extraneous?" he pondered aloud

"Well… if that is true… then you're about eight-hundred years old…" the doctor said, he proceeded to say more but Thoice had completely tuned him out at that point

"_Eight-Hundred years old? Dear God. How the heavens can my Sierra still live after so long? I mean… asking for a hundred years was a stretch itself… but seven-hundred on top… I might as well hope I can at least find her skeleton" _he thought grimly

"Well… no matter. We shall just guess your year of birth. No idea why you'd want to hide that from us…" the doctor said as he looked at Thoice's wounds

"Thoice… is that true?" Amy whispered to him. Thoice merely nodded, and Amy looked like she had just seen a ghost.

"_Is this really so unheard of?"_ he thought as the doctor prodded around his shoulder wound

"My, my Mr. Ocelot. You are some kind of wreck here. The bullet did hit your bone, but it seems you successfully removed that. The odd part here is, you're not bleeding." The doctor said miraculously "furthermore, it seem you haven't had blood in some time. Which would be unheard of" the doctor said, as he tried to dismiss the oddity

"Surely you jest sir, for I am living, thus I must have the life blood that all beings share?" Thoice asked

"I can assure you, if you were capable of bleeding, you would of by now. But look at your wounds, none of them are bleeding. They are merely just healing without the need of it…" the doctor said "It really is an oddity" he muttered to himself

"So… are you saying I'm all better, as it were?" Thoice asked, anxious to get going

"Yes and No…" the doctor hesitated "You could imagine, as I assume you are well learned after seeing you treat yourself so well after that incident… that I would like to take some tests on you…" he started to say

"And I would like nothing more than to protest. My body is the last refuge that no man has taken from me. Please respect that as I leave your fine establishment" Thoice said as he got up from the table

"Oh Thoice, stop being so thick headed. Let the man run some simple tests!" Amy said angrily to him

"Amy, you don't understand…" Thoice begun to say

"What's not to understand? Your eight-hundred and something years old, and don't bleed. Either you're some work of miracles, or you have some brain problems. Let this man help you" she stated

"Fine! But I swear to the heavens sir" Thoice said as he looked straight into the man's eyes "If you violate the knowledge you learn from my body with impure intent, I shall personally see to your death" he threatened, hoping that his intimidation would be enough

"You have my word that I will use what I learn for purely academic reasons" the doctor swore as Thoice lay back down

***caw!***

A raven near Thoice said as it flew off in some direction. He looked forward and saw a small bustling city. "Well… I guess being a doctor isn't so easy…" he said, his memories still buzzing around his mind as he still remembered publically killing himself… again

"Lord, must I never find peace?" he asked as he slowly walked from the nearby forest to the city. 'Galextrium' the sign read "Odd name for a place, sounds almost fictitious…" he stated as he walked inside.

Within the first few moments of his entry, he heard a woman scream. Thoice, acting on instinct, ran down the nearest alley way to see some woman being held against the wall against her will. Some man was holding her against the wall as he begun unbuckling his pants.

"_Dear lord, sin already… must I live in an echo of my sins, playing the hero in a corrupt world?"_ he thought as he leapt at the man and punched him in the back of his neck. The man fell off the girl, who thanks Thoice and ran off.

The man crawled back up, exposing a firearm and aimed it at Thoice. He saw the weapon and quickly side stepped the first shot as he closed on the criminal. The second shot tore through his right arm and Thoice's left arm connected with the man's skull. He fell down limp, the gun dropped from his hand.

Blood gushed from Thoice's wound as he looked at the criminal's deformed body. "_Sickening, that such a being could be crafted by such an all-powerful lord"_ he thought as he checked the man's vitals. He was alive, so Thoice tore off a piece of the man's shirt and tied him to a nearby lamppost. He then placed a small dosage of his numbing agent in the man's body, and walked off while his blood soaked his shirt.

"Oh right, I am bleeding aren't i?" he said sarcastically as he removed his shirt to examine his own wounds. The bullet had passed clear through him, but the damage was significant enough. "Well, I already know what I'm doing… but I'm going to hate myself when the morning comes around" he said as he took a bottle out of his right inner jacket pocket and tore off a piece of his own shirt. He poured the contents of the bottle lightly on the shirt he tore off, and applied it to the wound

The pain shot through Thoice so much so, that he fell to his knees in agony. He only clenched the rag to his wound tighter, out of pure reflex. The pain soon numbed, and he tied the rag to his arm and cleaned up his mess. "Let's hope I don't have to do that any time soon" he panted as he staggered off to find some place to sleep off his pain.

***shine***

Bright light from the operating table woke Thoice up as he looked around to see the doctor and his nurses slowly taking samples from his body. "_Oh right… I volunteered for his…"_ he begrudgingly said as he lay back and thought about his past as the time passed.

After a period of time, of the doctor carefully collecting some hair samples and trying his best to retrieve a blood sample, to no avail, he finished his tests. He then bandaged Thoice up and allowed him to leave.

"I'll contact one of your friends with the results" the doctor promised, after learning that Thoice had no contact info for himself

"Thank you kind sir. I hope whatever you learn from me is truly beneficial" he replied as he walked out into the streets with Amy and Cream

The three began walking down the street, all while Thoice thought about the implications about not… apparently... having blood.

"_I mean…I guess it could have solidified… or something… I honestly don't know what to say about this turn of events…"_ he thought as the sun came out from behind the clouds.

The bright light seared against Thoice, so much so that he winced in pain and quickly found cover under a store's sign. The pain subsided and he felt his pulse race in his body, as the resurgence of life was felt across him "_If I have no blood, then explain that pulse"_ he dared himself

"Everything alright Thoice?" Amy asked as she turned around and saw him leaning up against a wall, seemingly tired

"Yeah… just forgot how much the sun hurts me…" he said, trying to make it sound like a joke

"Hmmm… well maybe you're an albino…" she said as she looked him right in the eyes "Nope… you got baby blue eyes, and they are adorable" she teased

"Thanks… but no. It's just some condition I've had for some time now…" he lied "Don't worry, I'll just stay here at this store till the sun hides behind the clouds again" he said, feeling weak as he had to admit such a weakness

"Oh silly, you're in front of a store. We can go inside and shop till the sun drops" she joked as Cream cheered. The three walked inside, the girls went to look at the merchandise as Thoice sat on a nearby bench, trying to figure himself out.

"Ok buddy, so you have either a little or no blood. The sun burns you on contact. Your plagued by a lifetime of memories from a life you've had eight-hundred years ago. Anything else you want to add to this list?" he asked himself

"_How about the most short sighted mission ever? The hunt for Sierra's remains"_ he said morbidly in his mind

"Oh yeah… I guess there is that too…" he said, feeling his heart grow heavy with sadness from remembering so. He looked at his chest wound, to see a slight trickle of blood bleeding through the bandage. "Oh thank the heavens! I was worried I was some anomaly!" he said in utter happiness

"What's that Mr. Thoice?" Cream chimed in as she heard his happiness

"Look Cream, I'm bleeding" Thoice said, his fascination only building as he watched it. He could feel it leaving his body, and the pain that it brought with it. He finally felt alive. "If I can bleed, then maybe I can handle the sun once more" he said hopefully as he walked outside

The bright sun beat against him, but the pain wasn't there to greet him. His blood seemed to boil as the sun touched him, but it was only painful on a minimal level. "_If I take the sun in short ten to fifteen minute bursts… I should be able to lead a relatively normal life again"_ he thought, a smile blew across his lips.

"Thoice, there you are. Cream said you got all crazy and…" Amy said as she saw Thoice under the sun, smiling like some fool "What has gotten in you Thoice?" she asked

"Oh Amy, Cream, you have no idea how long I've waited for this day" he said ecstatically "I've had to live my last few days in the night, dodging the sun's harmful beams for some odd reason. Today I learned I'm over eight-hundred years old and that I am blood-deficient or something. But now… for some odd reason or another, I can bask in the holy light of the heavens once more, and live a life of normalcy!" he said, almost laughing as he said it.

"Well... congrats Thoice… but come on. We still have things to go do" Amy said as she started to walk down the street.

"Very well, but your still going to tell me where this Never Lake is" Thoice said, as he followed after Amy

"I will, hey Cream, isn't it time for you to go help Tails down at his lab today?" Amy asked

"Oh yeah! I'm sorry Mr. Thoice, I promised my friend" she said as she bowed to leave

"Hey Cream, tell Tails thanks for the chemicals. He'll know what that means" Thoice said, Cream nodded and ran off towards the beach.

"Ok, now that we are alone, we need to talk Thoice" Amy said as the two took a turn and walked to the nearby park.

"About what Miss Rose?" Thoice replied

"Well for starters, call me Amy" she giggled back "But about you." She said all serious again

"Me? Go on?" Thoice said, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"Yes, you. I now remember where I've heard of you before" she said "You're in my favorite book. Tails lent it to me awhile ago, while Sonic was off on some adventure. And it wasn't then that I remembered that I read about you as a kid." Amy said, blushing as she talked

"So? I was some childhood hero for you, or something?" Thoice asked, trying to figure her angle

"Well sorta…." She admitted, twirling her hair out of embarrassment "You were sort of my prince charming, if that makes sense" she finally said, hiding behind her blush

"Oh…" Thoice said, completely caught off guard by her statement

"I know, it must sound weird but yeah…" she said "But I thought you were just a story. So I took what you were, and applied it to who I wanted to be with. Sonic fit that profile and I soon fell in love with him…" she said "I just wanted to thank you for showing girls what the perfect man was like" she finally said

"Whoa there Amy" Thoice said hurriedly "I don't know what you've read… but I'm nothing perfect" he said plainly

"Ha, and your just as modest as the books made you come out to be" she said as the two reached the park. "You were always depicted as kind, gentle, polite and modest. Traits that are impossible to find nowadays…" she admitted as the two say on a bench under a shady tree, for Thoice's benefit.

"Cute, glad I could give girls of the future a template to work with… but really it should of just been how men should of evolved…" he said, still saddened by how society had changed

"Shoulda, but didn't" Amy laughed "You were always an honest and noble person. A true hero, regardless of the cost. I knew that when I saw you rush into the bank and risk your own well being to save complete strangers, lacking Sonic's super speed and everything" she said in a romantic sort of way.

"Like I said, I only did what needed to be done…" he started to say

"Oh quiet. No man would willingly sacrifice himself to save complete strangers" she said, idolizing him "I mean, I read all your adventures and I couldn't help but fall in love with you…" she said as she looked at him, trying to see his soul

"Look Amy, I'm sorry to disappoint, but my life isn't really that grand…" he tried to say

"I know you're not perfect, but you are the best life had ever given us" she said, making Thoice blush "You were always possessing one flaw though…" she eventually said

"Oh? And what is my flaw?" Thoice asked, already knowing the answer

"That you live in some guilt-ridden past." She said sorrowfully, as if she could feel his pain "I don't know who it is, but she must mean a lot to you. Because that was the only thing that ever made sense after I read you from time and time again…" Amy stated, looking genuinely sad at her realization.

"… oh… well you seem to be the first person to figure this out in the future…" Thoice said, as he felt his eyes get heavy with tears. "Her name was Sierra…" he began to say

"Aw, what a cute name" Amy interrupted "Was she a princess or something?" she asked, asking from what seemed to be childish curiosity. As if Thoice could answer all the questions she had as a child.

"Not even close…" Thoice began to say "She was the daughter of a museum curator…" he begun as he delved into a story telling Amy everything about Sierra that he could say. Tears soon began to roll freely down his cheek, so much so that he would occasionally wipe them away, but never stop his tale.

Amy sat there in silence, occasionally asking a question or two, but generally just sitting there and feeling Thoice's pain. She shed her own tears to the beauty of his story, and when he finally reached the end, she sat there motionless, unable to figure out how to act.

"And yet… despite what she did to me, I still love her. I have to trust what she did was in my best interest" he said plainly, sitting there as he pondered Sierra's actions

"Still… she kissed you that romantically and then threw you to what was essentially your death?" she stated

"I lived, so I must trust she knew I would" Thoice said calmly

"Still… I don't know how painful that had to be for her…" Amy said, brushing her tears away

"So you see Amy, this is why I need to head to Never Lake. It is my only clue towards finding out what happened to the woman I love" he said

"Well Thoice… I will say it on behalf of the world… you are truly the most amazing person to ever live" she stated, Thoice tried to say something but she continued to say "I mean, you are what woman idolize in a man, and yet you suffer so much personally just to make your girl happy… you truly are a saint" she said, brushing another tear away

"Amy… to compare one's self to saints is a sin" he said plainly, still unable to forgive his own sin "_the girl needs to learn there is a real world"_ he thought.

"Hey Thoice… now that I think about it, I don't remember reading anywhere that you were weak to sunlight…" she stated

"Yeah, its new to me too" he said "Anyways Amy… there is something more that you need to know about me…" he started to say

"Ok, just remember I'm spoken for" she joked

"Well… I just want to pop your little bubble about how I'm your prince charming" he said "You see… back when I was … alive, I guess" he said, wielded by his word choice

"Ok… so eight-hundred something years ago." She clarified

"Yes, I was forced into a contract that purged my life of innocence" he said, "I was forced, against my will, to accept this contract" he tried to say plainly

"What contract?" she asked

"The worst kind" he said, as he went into his story about the sixteen deaths. When he finished, Amy looked at him and just sat there thinking for a couple seconds

"So… you've killed before?" she asked

"I'm not proud of any of the deaths I caused…. Not even Nigel the Hedgehog…" he said, the bittersweet memory floating around his head

"You killed a hedgehog?" she asked, worry in her voice

"Relax Amy, I haven't killed in over eight-hundred years, and I never once wanted the job!" he said, furious at himself "you have to understand; Nigel was something of a fluke. He wanted to plunge my city into disarray, or so I was lead to believe. When I got there, willing to sacrifice myself to end his bloodshed, he only wanted to kill me for revenge. There was no promise of him stopping" Thoice said, the blackened memories haunting him

"So you did what was right?" she asked, smiling about how she was right about him being perfect again

"… yes" Thoice said, wishing her could prove her another way "When I got there, he had what I assumed was Sierra's father tied to the wall. To aggravate me into fighting him, he killed what I thought was her father, right in front of me" he said, the memory swelling in his mind "I watched the man gurgle his own blood as he finally became stiff as the heavens took his soul. The rest… well the rest is history, but Nigel died that night, and later I would be tossed to sea" he said casually.

"All you've managed to convince me so far is that you do the right thing, even when it painful or incredibly unrewarding. And that you have perhaps the most powerful sense of guilt ever in existence. I mean look at you, unable to forgive yourself from things you did over eight-hundred years ago" she teased at him

"Amy… murder is murder. Taking a life now, and taking one eight-hundred years ago is the same sin" he said plainly

"Yes… but from what you said they were all bad people" she chimed "so you did the world a favor, and yet you still hate yourself for the act. Man, you are such a good boy" she cooed at him

"Oh quiet you" she shot back playfully "all that matters is that I figure what happened to Sierra… then I can die a happy man" he said blackly

"Oh shush Mr. Dramatic-all-the-time" she said back "I told you I'll show you where Never Lake is, and I would love to go with you… but Sonic needs me" she said plainly

"The directions would be most appreciated" he replied

"The catch is, you have to be my friend first" she said

"What? How does one attain friendship?" he asked plainly, dumbfounded by the simplicity of the statement

"Well, it starts with us hanging out… and then stuff happens and boom! Friends!" she said happily

"Amy, I don't have the time to play games with you, each day that passes is a day further from me learning the truth" he said pained

"I know, so better make it fast" she joked

"Can I just promise to hang out with you when I get back from my adventure?" he asked

"I suppose you could… if you actually hold onto your promise" she teased

"Amy… I've been holding onto promises for over eight-hundred years, I think I can keep a promise to a fourteen year old." He said plainly

"Yeah I suppose" she said, as she leaned in and whispered the directions to him

"Thank you Amy" he said as he begun to stand up, when he felt an arm pull him back down

"But you can leave tonight, there will be no sun to stop you, and we can get to know each other a little more" she said, a hopefulness in her eyes

"_Just like Sierra's eyes…"_ he found himself thinking as he said "Alright Amy, one night though"

***Flash***

"There we go, that picture is going to be your favorite now, isn't it?" Sierra asked as she parted lips with him and the flash from Sierra's camera was heard from Sammy

"Wow… I mean … just wow" Thoice managed to say "When you said I would never guess my birthday present, you really weren't joking" he said with a laugh

"Wow, and I keep saying you two would be perfect for each other. I can't wait to see how this picture develops" Sammy said as he started packing up Sierra's camera

"Yeah… me neither. I hope I didn't look silly" Sierra said with a playful smirk

"Sierra, you looked like a regular queen, as always" Sammy said with a laugh

"Yeah, and it doesn't matter Sierra. I'll cherish this picture above all others" Thoice found himself saying

"Aw, you're so sweet Thoice" she said as she held his hand "But the night is still young, let's have some fun" she said playfully

"You two be safe, ya hear?" Sammy said as he handed Sierra's camera back to her "I'll go take this in to get processed, since I have to go back to town anyways. Thoice, enjoy your birthday. You've earned some peace" the squirrel said as he walked off with Sierra's film

"Ok, I want you to send a messenger to me when the film is ready" Sierra called back

"I will" the squirrel said as he left into the city, leaving the two lovers under a beautiful oak tree under the moon's light

"So Sierra… was that gift… planned?" Thoice couldn't help but ask

"Well… yes and no" she blushed back "I was going to give you a kiss for your birthday, but taking the picture of it… that was something new" she said happily

"It means a lot to me that you would" Thoice said, realizing he didn't make much sense he decided to clarify "I mean, take a picture with me… you know… doing that…" he managed to say as Sierra placed her finger over his mouth

"Shush you, just enjoy it alright. I'm sorry we aren't able to date right now, what with the chaos in the city and my own personal life…" she said sadly "But such worries are for the future Sierra and Thoice to concern themselves with. Let us enjoy the night together, as super best friends" she said as she took his hand and walked him to a nearby hill for them to sit on and watch the moon's light over the valley

The two just sat there, quietly, as they watched the moon's light dance off the lake and reflect in the trees. Just enjoying each other's company and all while Thoice thought about how good life was for once.

"Sierra… I really want to thank you…" he started to say as her hand swung up to cover his mouth. He leaned back and dodged her hand and continued to say, with a laugh "Not about the kiss Sierra. I mean I want to thank you for giving my life peace once more" he stated

"Oh? Me… giving a life peace? Surely you have me confused with someone" she said coyly

"Never my dear. Before you, my life was nothing but a cruel play. Set up in acts that devastated my own being. I lived a life reflected by past sin, and feared never once living a life of peace again…" he said

"Oh? And my presence has changed the overall play?" she asked, keeping his metaphor

"Well… now I can't decide if my life is a tragedy or merely a comedy for the viewer" referring to God with his metaphor "My life has its ups and downs, all whilst I seem to come out on top. I became the youngest alchemist to gain recognition across the country. I became a sought after assassin… and I've taken my fair share of pain to save complete strangers" he said, all the memories pooling into his mind

"I'd say, you went through great lengths just to save that one girl from that gang of hooligans" she laughed, as he remembered getting a knife thrown into his chest

"Yeah… but having you in my life… I finally found peace. And I'd hate to ever lose that…" he said, a tear rolling down his cheek

"Oh hush you, I'll always be with you" she said motherly as she brushed his tear away "I love you Thoice. Remember that, I just don't want to be tied down in a relationship yet… maybe when I'm older" she said

"I know…" he replied, the tears still building in his eyes "I just wish I could take you as my bride and live a life of peace with you. We can move away to some remote place and live together, free from the problems of the outside…" he said, beginning to build his fantasy

"…Yeah, and you can grow that amazing garden your always talking about. I can learn how to knit and sew as we raise some life stock. And ultimately live as two members in our own society" she said, as they've had this fantasy for some time.

"I feel blessed by the heavens that I found you Sierra… and I hope I never lose what I have with you" he said as she leaned into his body sympathetically

The two just sat there, purring as they watched the starts twinkle in the sky, and Thoice finally felt at peace

***Bonk***

"Ouch! What was that for?" Thoice said as a slight tap of a hammer connected with his head

"For ignoring me!" Amy said as she was holding a large mallet

"Where did you get a blasted hammer?" Thoice said as rubbed his head

"Never mind that, why were you zoning off while I was talking!" she asked angrily

"Oh…" he said, not realizing how long he had been gone "I'm sorry Amy. I have these intermittent flashbacks to my past. I have no control over when they happen, and they are … painful" he said, once he realized he was shedding some tears.

"Aw, was it about Sierra?" Amy asked, her hammer disappearing into some magical place

Thoice nodded and said "It was the night we shared our first kiss…" he said, the memory still fresh in his mind

"Wow… that is so romantic. Was it over-looking a lake dressed in the light of the most beautiful moon?" she asked

"Yes… yes it was, but how would you know?" Thoice asked

"That was always my favorite chapter" she said, shedding her own tear "It was so painful to read after learning in the end that you left her for the eternal adventure" Amy said as she took out her plastic rectangle and pressed some buttons

"Eternal Adventure eh? Seems like something Sierra would have written…" he said, thinking back to how hard it must have been for her to write such a story "What happened next Amy?" he asked

"One sec…" she said as she pressed some more buttons on her rectangle "Ok, here, look at this" as she handed the rectangle to him.

There was a small screen on the device, and words were placed inside the light viewing window. "Magnificent, how does once contain so much on such a small device" he said aloud as Amy explain to him how to turn the page

He read "[…] and so the moon basked the two lovers under the moon's beautiful light, the lake dressed in the finest of the moon's glow. Thoice had a heavy heart for a future he had no idea of anticipating. The girl, however, only felt pain knowing that her time with her beloved was slowly dissolving before her. She wished only that she could spend the rest of her life with him, but she knew that he had greater adventures in his future than simply being tied down to her, which brought her nightly pain.

But whatever the pain, she was willing to go through Hell and back to make sure that Thoice was ready to save the future of the planet, as she learned from an oracle at the mystical Never Lake" Thoice stopped there and handed the rectangle back to her

"Sierra knew about Never Lake while we were together?" he stated aloud, as his past slowly started to make more sense "And she was preparing me for some future adventure? What is that even suppose to mean Amy?" he asked, wishing she knew the answer.

"Thoice… I honestly can't say. Like I said, the book ends with you leaving her. She never mentions her own name or what your adventure is" Amy said tearfully

"Don't cry Amy, I was only curious if you knew what she meant" Thoice said, his own mind slowly trying to unravel his past

"Maybe she saved you for the eight-hundred years because you were needed in our lifetime…" Amy said hopefully

"Possibly… but to sacrifice all the love she had for me, just so I could save the future of Mobius… seems sort of far-fetched…" he said, trying his best to not believe such motives

"Rationalize it however you want Thoice, only going to Never Lake will truly answer this for yourself" Amy said slyly

"And I shall, after you answer me one final question" he stated

"And what would that be?" she asked

"What adventures? I never had any adventures in my life… so what adventures would she of written about?" he asked

"What adventures?" she exclaimed, as if he was going crazy "Thoice, you had several amazing adventures. You stopped a town's corruption from an evil kingpin, you saved thousands of innocent lives from a mythical being, you sacrificed yourself to try and save her father…" Amy said, tears building up in her eyes as she went on and explained more

"Ok… Ok Amy, I get it. Those happened, true. But they aren't 'adventures' per say, I merely did what was asked by me by God" he stated, as if that was an obvious reason

"There you go again, talking about this 'God' fellow, was he like your best friend or something?" she asked

"Best friend?" Thoice exclaimed, his turn to treat Amy like she was crazy "Cream had the same reaction. Are you telling me that the holy word of the eternal savior doesn't exist in the future?" he asked

"Holy what now?" she asked back

"So I take that as a no…" he said, his heart heavy with sadness by that "You see Amy, we used to place faith in a higher being than ourselves. He had no form, and never made an appearance to us mere mortals… but he helped guide the universe and shape our destines from afar. We called him 'God'. And albeit, he worked in the most mysterious ways… we always placed our faith that he had a plan for all of us…" Thoice said

"Ok, so you all had some imaginary friend that you worshipped…" Amy rationalized

"Ugh… I guess. Sort of. But this was much more than that. We accepted this reality; we made prayers to this man, hoping for better days and trivial things. By the time when I was thrown into the sea, the church was making a decline, as fewer and fewer people seemed to worship him…. But I never once thought the world would just abandon his teachings all together" Thoice said, just looking at his hands in reverence

"Times change Thoice. I'm sorry your buddy isn't around for that, but as long as you remember him, he won't be forever forgotten" Amy said

"No, you don't understand Amy…" Thoice said "Gods are fickle beings. Their power is measured in their followers… and if I'm all that's left, then he is but a distant blip in the heavens. His power is so minute that it explains why he hasn't helped me one bit since I've come to the future" he said angrily, knowing that wasn't entirely true but was just so overwhelmed with emotions that he couldn't help but say it

"Thoice, your being crazy. He helped you find me, and Cream. He helped you save innocent lives today, apparently he still cares for you, or you have really dumb luck" Amy said, trying to help him believe again

"I don't know Amy… I'll need some time to figure all this out…" he said as he stood up from his seat on the park bench "I hope you don't mind, but I have a lake to head to… and you have Sonic to accompany. I only hope the two of you the best" he said as he made his way out of the park

"Your coming back to hang out with us again, right?" Amy asked hopefully

"I promised Amy… I promised" he said as he took out a vial from his inner jacket pocket. He drank the solution and felt a river of energy flow through his legs. A certain pain tingled throughout his body as he was shocked by blinding pain, as if by design he got onto all fours and ran into the jungle at incredible speed, making it seem almost effortless.

"_Good thing I've spent some time trying to figure out how to move faster for longer periods"_ he thought as he ran through the jungle on his experimental speed formula "_I only hope there are no long term consequences from using this"_ he grimaced, knowing his luck

The moon lit his path as he bounded through the trees, his only compass being the stars in the heavens above. "Amy said it was South-East from there, so I must follow the heavens to Sierra's destination. God, don't abandon me yet" he said between his bounds as he made it through the thickets.

His last thoughts being of an oracle at Never Lake "_Maybe this oracle could help me…"_ he wished in his mind, hoping that he wasn't going crazy

* * *

><p><strong>Well, Amy Rose is now in the story. Hows that? Also, i think the story is slowly building to some epic scenes down the road, you? Yes, this was posted after Chapter 23 of 'The Mobian Adventures' where Thoice is introduced in that story... so i felt it would only make sense to do the same sort of thing for the 'Mobian: Legacy'. <strong>

**Did you enjoy the read? Have ideas for me to incorporate, or just want to let me know what you think? Hit me up whenever, i love a good review.**

**Working hard, **

**Steven 'ZiGeNaToR' Ziegler**


	5. The Ocelot

**Author's note:**

**Well, here is the pivotal chapter for now. It explains a lot, if you didn't already catch the subtle themes from earlier. That being said, it is my LONGEST chapter to date, totaling over 12,500 words. I want to thank my brother for the three new characters in the story. I had the originaly created... but they had no names and weak personalities. He named them and gave them some personality, so thanks for Ocatvius, Richard and Alyssa. You will see their Bios added to the extended logs in the Forum i have (you can find the link of my profile). That all being said, enjoy, this chapter was super fun to write. Reviews would be welcome**

**-Enjoy**

* * *

><p><strong>The Ocelot<strong>

Thoice sprinted through the jungle, under the beauty that only the moon could provide. The light reflected off the trees around him, and it seemed that he could feel the nature move around him. He was in touch with everything around him, from the heartbeats of the animals in the forest to the direction the wind was blowing. As he sprinted through the forest, he found simple serenity in each of his movements.

"Most impressive, seems this brew gave me an innate ability to detect the simplest of pulses in the surrounding areas… that or I'm becoming more acute in my sensory organs" Thoice said with a laugh, as such an event was merely preposterous.

He continued this pace throughout the leafy back routes of civilization until he finally came across a small town out near the outskirts. Having incurred some fatigue from his long sprint, he decided to recuperate in the nearby den of humanity, if not just for an hour or two.

"Remember Thoice, you're a simple traveler who seeks nothing more than lodging, and maybe a glass of water" he reminded himself, as a certain thirst seemed to claw away at his very being "_must be some penalty to using such an experimental mixture… but the results were worth it"_ he rationalized, after he figured that he had covered an extra three-hundred percent of the distance than he would of normally.

He walked into the small town, to see that the streets were empty and almost… ghost-like in its presence. "I swear if this is some drug-induced flashback….." he begun to say, remembering the frequency in which he had been dragged into his own past. As he looked around the town, he noticed things merely looked similar to towns he had been to, but nothing rang any familiar memories in his mind.

As he walked down the streets, he could feel the heartbeats of scarred people cowering inside of houses and he could almost taste their presence "_Weird…. I shouldn't be so intimate with people I can't even see"_ he pondered, again wondering if this was some effect from his special mixture that he ingested prior.

Finally a large fox man walked out of a nearby building with a sword in his hand and addressed Thoice as such "Hark traveler, I know not what ye wish, but you shan't find such pleasantries here" and with that, he played with his blade all whilst never leaving his eyes off of Thoice's being

"I beg your pardon good sir, but I know not what you speak. Might you straighten your tongue and fire your words as arrows to my ears once more" Thoice replied, finally happy that someone with a more learned diction was talking to him

"Foul beast, you're not welcomed her anymore than your blasted brethren" the man retorted as Thoice heard footsteps on roofs.

Thoice looked up and around and saw that a score of citizens were up on the roofs of the nearby buildings, all armed with a bow & arrow and pointed their aim directly at Thoice. "Kind sir, I know not what you mean. I have caused no such transgressions, surely you would allow a simple traveler to find refuge for a night's rest" Thoice asked, already carefully looking around for a way out of this fight, if need be.

"And I say you shan't find peace, monster. We know what you are, and we wish for you to go" the man said, as he gestured back the way Thoice came with his sword

"_Damn, I seem to be hated here… for some reason. No way to rationalize my way out of this…"_ he digressed as he turned to walk back the way he came. A few footsteps passed and Thoice was hit with a realization, so he turned around and asked "Sir, if you could only quench the thirst of my curiosity, I have but one question"

The man looked up at his backup, then back at his sword nervously before even opening his mouth to answer "Make it quick child-of-death" was the cold reply

"You claim I am of some kin of evil, yet I know not what of. Can you extrapolate your definition upon my ears so I can learn what I have become, unknowingly?" Thoice asked carefully

"Surely you jest. You are a child of the rich wine; we need not explain that to you. Now please, leave before we fire a volley of death upon you" the man said as he sheathed his sword and walked back inside the nearby building. The strings on the bows loosened and the people sheathed their arrows away but still kept their bows ready, just in case.

"_Odd place… surely no such land for me to tread_" Thoice thought as he slowly walked out of the town. He looked back to see its name, which was 'Reiches Blut'. "I must research this place a later date, for now I shall find refuge among the trees for my tired body" Thoice claimed, feeling the fatigue gnawing away at his very frame.

He continued to walk into the depths of the forest till he came across a small pond; across from the slow current was a small cave. He looked carefully around to make sure he was alone, still slightly paranoid that those villagers were going to hunt him down for some reason. He couldn't explain the feeling, but he felt as if those villagers had good reason to hate him "_Even though I've never heard of 'Reiches Blut' or any of its people until tonight…"_

He crawled into the cave and curled up into a tight-knit ball as he closed his eyes and tried to put his mind at rest, the places where he was shot from earlier reverberated with pain across his body. His mind found no peace and that thirst drove him insane. Unable to cope with this any longer, he reached into his left pocket and grabbed a vial of his numbing agent. He poured a fair amount into his open wound in his chest, so that it would react with the heart at an accelerated pace. Enough to get around his own natural immunity to his own toxins that was, and prayed for sleep.

His prayers were soon answered as he passed out from a slight dose of self poisoning. His last thoughts being on the townsfolk, wondering why they would ever dislike such a random traveler with so much fiery passion.

_Thoice was running around some town, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, constantly looking around for something. He had unnatural acrobatics, as he leapt between the roofs with inhumane accuracy and agile, doing such leaps that no other living being would dare attempt (save for a circus act). He stopped atop a very eloquent building, where he looked down and watched the people walk the floor as if they were ants. He then jumped down from the improbable height and landed in an alleyway, unharmed from the fall, hi s shoes clicked with the landing. _

_ He re-arranged his dress and re-applied lipstick to his lips as he continued to walk out to meet the crowd in the street. He opened his umbrella as he saw the rainclouds up above. Then followed people down the streets, blending in as if he was nothing more than a typical citizen. A young man, a squirrel to be exact, walked along Thoice and greeted him most formally. _

_ He could tell that this squirrel was infatuated with him, and for some reason, this is what Thoice wanted. He replied to the squirrel in some friendly and seductive fashion. Soon the two were getting chummy with one-another, talking and casually walking with each other under the moon's watchful eye. _

_ Thoice took a turn down the nearby alleyway, convincing his friend that this was a short cut to his apartment. The squirrel seemed willing to escort Thoice to his home, so he followed him. They walked roughly halfway down the alleyway when Thoice realized what he was going to do to the squirrel. A pang of worry and regret soaked throughout Thoice's very being, he wanted nothing more than to stop himself, but was unable to stop anything as he was a captive audience to his dream. _

_ His canine teeth elongated into well defined fangs, the view of the world slowly tinged towards black & white as people's pulses were becoming visible with red hues. He was able to smell the presence of those who lived, and sense their motives as if they were his own. He turned to the young squirrel child and the squirrel did not seem afraid. In fact, he almost seemed willing with his friendly face and happy smile._

_ Thoice embraced the squirrel in a hug and held him against the wall, and yet the foolish child refused to resist. Thoice wanted to scream at himself to stop, and leave this child alone, but to no avail. He barred his fangs and the penetrated the child's neck. The crimson nectar of the child rushed into Thoice's mouth, satisfying his very craving. Power seemed to unfold; untold reservoirs of power seemed to gush throughout his very being._

_ He felt as if he could live forever, he felt all the aches and pains of his body leave him and a certain ecstasy filled him. The squirrel moaned in pleasure as the torrent of blood filled Thoice's ever demanding hunger. The last drop was consumed, and the child fell limp to the ground, an ungodly look on his face. Almost as if the kid had seen death itself, and was left petrified as a lifeless corpse for such a transgression against nature._

_ Thoice paid no remorse to the corpse that sated his bloodlust, and turned to leave the city. As he left the city, he grabbed a locked out from under his dress and looked to see his own face inside. Then, his body shed a few tears as he looked back to see the town's sign and tucked the locket back under his dress._

_ 'Reiches Blut'_

"What the!" Thoice awoke with a start as he frantically looked around the cave for something that made sense to him. "What did I just dream?" he asked himself, as his eyes slowly adjusted to the morning sun rising over the tree line.

He sat up and closed his eyes to think as he talked aloud to hear himself actualize what he saw "I was in the town I was kicked out of… I had a dress and a locket with me in it… and I ended some child's life by sapping the very life-force from him" he said plainly, highlighting what he deemed were the bullet points of his dream

"Not to jump to conclusions, but I think that was some event that happened…. And the only person to have a locket of me would be…" he said, but stopped there for if he said her name aloud, then he would have to tie her into the horrible death he watched from the front-most-seat.

"_Sierra would never do that… cruelly kill some child in such a horrendous fashion… regardless of what need she had for blood"_ he thought, pondering why anyone would ever need blood in that quantity… to drink.

"My readings explain something of 'vampirism', as in the life spent sustaining one's own life-force from others… but my dear Sierra could never be such. She was far too frail to ever end lives in such a cruel fashion" he said, reaffirming his memories that she was a kind a gentle person.

But then he remembered what the townsfolk called him at one point "child of the rich wine…" he murmured to himself as he thought back to the first night he met Sierra. After he killed the kingpin and discovered her father's corpse, they spent the night together until the wee hours of morning… "And Sierra had a glass of the most perfect wine…" he said as he then remembered having a glass three years later in the safe house, just prior to his demise into the sea's salty grasp.

"I mean… it's a stretch… but I guess Sierra could have been a vampire all along… I mean… what with her condition to sunlight and the red wine…" he began to say, dismissing it with "But that is preposterous. I'm fairly certain I would have figured her out to be undead within our three years together. Furthermore, how would she of contracted such a disease? Vampirism isn't something you just acquire like the common cold… in fact, it lives only in the realm of fantasy" he concluded, questions slowly bouncing around his head as he continuously thought about the slim chance that Sierra could, in fact, be a vampire.

Sometime passed, and Thoice's legs were becoming sore from sitting in such a position that when he got up to stretch he looked out to the nearby stream and watched the water slowly move its way downstream. "Good point nature, I'll just go with the flow for now. Onwards to Never Lake" he said as he took another dose of his speeding formula and hunched onto his all-fours to sprint madly through the forest's underbrush.

As he made his way through the jungle, the sun's occasional contact with him caused his blood to sear with pain and would occasionally knock the wind out of him. So much so, that after only about a good four miles, he was forced to recuperate under a tree and cool himself down from the searing pain that encircled him.

"My word, whatever this potion does to me, it seems to make the sun's adverse affects only that much more noticeable…" he mumbled to himself as he looked around at the nearby herbs and plants to see what he could do with nature's wares.

He spotted a few fungi around him and a couple herbs that he recognized, and slowly begun to think how he could use this to strengthen his melatonin for a temporary shield against the sun. The ratio was quickly worked out in his head so he collected the materials, placed them in a vial and added a couple drops of regular acid to melt them into a compound. He then drank the compound and very nearly vomited from the mixtures taste

"I vow to make the next batch actually tasteless" he swore as he clutched his ribs and felt the poison slowly spreading through his body, causing its malign damage throughout his very being. After a few minutes of indescribable pain, his body finally calmed down and he gingerly revealed his arm to the sunlight to test the reaction. The sun hit his arm, and he only felt the warmth of the star's light, with none of the associated pain that he was slowly becoming accustomed to.

"Well, there we go, good as new" he joked as he quickly brew a second batch of this miracle potion "Guess I better make up for lost time now" he realized as he placed the vial away in his inner pocket, so that it wouldn't be damaged. He got back on all-fours and begun to sprint through the jungle once more.

The entire time he spent thinking about 'Reiches Blut' and the dream he had associated with it, carefully trying to figure out why they would hate him and whether or not that was Sierra that he lived through last night. The more he thought about it, the more it confused him, and the more it confused him, the more it angered him that he didn't have a library at his disposal.

Hours passed, and Thoice's thirst only grew in leaps and bounds as did the distance of his travels. By the time the sun began to set, he was very near where Amy said Never Lake would be. He would have loved to make it all the way there tonight, but his body was very nearly collapsing upon itself. So much so, that he was forced to take refuge in a nearby thicket for slumber.

He slept a restless nap, waking only more tired than when he went to sleep. His anger was slowly rising around him and his incompetence at solving the mystery of last night was slowly eating away at him. "Damn it all!" he cursed as he grabbed a branch and broke it to soothe his anger "Why can't I solve this damned riddle" he asked as he sat there in seething anger, tears forming up in his eyes

"Sierra, you can't be a vampire damn it! They don't exist! And I shouldn't be alive, so God, how does this factor into your 'master plan'!" he cursed as he sat there, freely crying as he felt completely beaten by the illogical life he was forced to live

"_When you think about it, I should of died about eight-hundred years ago and Sierra would of died about sixty to eighty years later, assuming healthy life style choices"_ he thought, wiping his tears away and trying to rationalize his life "_Yet, here you are, in the far-flung future, in a time where people worship the style of life you lived. You have cheated Death and Sierra left some answer for you… now get up and solve God's paradox"_ he thought, slowly getting up and taking some deep breaths to calm himself down

"I'm right, I lived past Death's agenda, and I am a paradox within God's master plan. Sierra must have known this, or something like this, and left me something to help make sense of this. It's at Never Lake, and damn it all, I'm going to find out what it is" he said, steeling his nerves once more and running off towards Never Lake, despite the pain that reverberated throughout his very being.

Each step shot pain down his spine and made him clench his teeth in pain, but he welcomed the advisory. Each step was a reminder that he had cheated Death, something he had wished to do over eight-hundred years ago. He couldn't help but smile at the hand fate had dealt him, where he got to mess with Death's very circle of life and help the people of the future lead better lives. "_In fact, I get to help save these people once more"_ he thought with a smile as he rationalized that the only reason he would have been allowed to cheat Death, would be if it was because he was needed in the future "_Like Amy said"_ he reflected, thinking back to their conversation.

By the time the moon peaked up over the nearby hills, Thoice's body rejuvenated with some benign force. His muscles relaxed, his strides grew to be three times longer and he was at peace with the surrounding environments. Sure he was able to detect the pulses of the wildlife around him, his vision had become more acute and he felt more powerful than he was earlier, but none of that seemed to matter to him. Never Lake was just over the horizon and he was going to be getting there faster, which was all he cared about.

He climbed to the top of the steep hill and looked down to see a large beautiful lake just sitting there under the moon's magnificent glow. A beauty he had long since fallen in love with, thanks to Sierra's condition. He trudged down the hill to become closer to this place of mystery to him, hoping that the answer was still there for him.

As he reached the luminescent beauty of the lake, he felt some strange energy surge through his being. Unlike the prior energy that empowered him, this energy felt like it was trying to subdue him. "_Damn it does everything of the future just hate me?"_ he thought as he winced in pain and fell to his knees clutching his chest.

"**You, **Traveler stop." The voice beckoned

"_Like I really have a choice"_ he thought, realizing that he couldn't win this fight even if he wanted to "Fair stranger, I wish you no harm. Please release me from this prison" Thoice asked as politely as he could through the stabbing pain in his heart

**"Are** you not a threat?" the voice simply replied, innocently enough

"_Fair question… I have committed murder in the past… and am a lethal enough threat…"_ he thought, thinking whether or not to be honest to this empowered stranger "Sir, I may be a threat to most beings. But I can assure you that I come in peace, I was sent here" he tried to rationalize, realizing he had nothing more than his word and a piece of paper to back up his claim

"**A** noble enough goal, but you wouldn't have been stopped unless you were either evil or contaminated by some evil force" the voice replied, the strength of the energy never waning against Thoice's being

"I assure you, my past transgressions are to stay in the past. I am lost and confused. Heck, I'm lost within my own mind. Such, I'm currently unable to decide if my girlfriend from eight-hundred years ago is a vampire!" he cried out, hoping his sense of hopelessness of desperation would convince the energy to let him pass

"**Vampire** eh? That would explain why you haven't passed into through the field. But I thought there was only a few of you left…" the voice replied, trailing off as the energy left Thoice

"_Wait… did it think I was a vampire?"_ he thought as he cried out to the voice "I am no vampire, I was merely given reason to my claim that I come in peace!" Then it clicked… he said 'a few of you left'… "WAIT! Are there more? They exist!" he cried out, wishing to end the madness of his own innocence to the truth of the world

There was no reply, but the energy lingered through the air, almost as if it was making a path towards some destination. Thoice could see no such path, but could feel it, almost as if he could see it. He followed the energy down to the lake, where he found a large cave carved into a nearby hill. The energy beckoned him to enter the cave, so he did. "_No reason to argue here, this energy has the combat advantage on me"_ he rationalized as he walked into the completely dark cave. Typically, he would have been blind from the distinct lack of light, but he was able to see in hues of black & white. "Odd… I wasn't able to see like this before" he thought aloud

"Sometimes what you see isn't quite what you think it would be" a voice replied as Thoice felt their presence in the middle of the cave. He saw the room, in black & white, and he could sense their life. He was watching their hearts beat, and could see their blood flow freely in their body. The sight made Thoice thirsty, but he didn't register that beyond his curiosity to what was happening.

"And you are?" Thoice asked calmly

"Simple protectors" the one to the left said, Thoice identified him as a wolf. He looked strong enough, but of an average height. In the black & white setting of his vision, he could only make out the most miniscule details to the appearance

"Well I mean not to trespass" Thoice said as he stood his ground for questions

The three figures laughed madly at his remark before the one to the right said "Trespass? You! That's a good one". Thoice quickly saw that it was a female fox, and for some reason her mere appearance made his hunger grow once more.

"Look, I don't know why I'm here… I was given a note telling me to head out to Never Lake…" Thoice begun to say

"We know, we were told ahead of time buddy" the middle figure said as he walked up to Thoice "And judging by your appearance, I'd say you fit the description perfectly". He was a tall, yet strong looking bear. He was almost eye-level with Thoice, but clearly could of taken him in a fight if need be

"Look, you all have me at a disadvantage here… you seem to know of me, but I don't even know myself… let alone you" Thoice said with a laugh, thinking back to the kingpin he killed and fearing that he might have been related to his bear.

"Oh, how rude of us" the fox said, a slight giggle followed her remark

"Yes, my how you forget customs when you are sequestered from society for so long" the bear murmured to himself "I am Octavius" he said, as he playfully bowed to Thoice

"_Wait, they revere me or what?" _he thought skeptically

"And I am Richard" the wolf said, mimicking Octavius's bow

"And I'm Alyssa, cutie" the fox giggled as she curtsied to Thoice

"Ok, well I am pleased to meet you all… but what is with the bowing to my presence… surely your orders can't be as vague as to be subservient to whoever finds your cave…" Thoice asked them

"True, but your special. You can see in this pitch-black cave, you aren't running away in fear, and the crystal's energy attacked you already. So, we can conclude you aren't a typically trespasser" Octavius said with a laugh to the earlier mention of Thoice trespassing "So, then you must be who we were asked to look out for"

"Yeah, Mr. Thoice Zeitgeist, the Ocelot. Would we not be correct?" the fox asked innocently

"_They know my actual name… I only ever told Sierra that…"_ he thought with a pang of worry threading through him "That is me, correct… but how do you know that?" he asked

"Because, like we said, we had orders to protect you. No sense in protecting someone you know nothing about. So we took the time to read up about you, convenient to since you died eight-hundred years ago" the wolf laughed

"So… that is indeed factual…" Thoice stated aloud, his ability to dismiss it officially gone "Ok, I can live with that. But I would like an answer. Why must you protect me? I'm capable of defending myself" he stated

"True, we aren't challenging your abilities, but that is something the crystal would be better off answering than us" the bear said as he turned and opened a door through the cave's wall. The secret entrance slide opened, and torches were lit along the wall, restoring color into Thoice's vision once more.

He quickly looked at his company and saw what they were. The wolf looked about in his early twenties, had a large claw gash across the face, thus he assumed the wolf was accustomed to fighting. He was a smoky black color to him, and wore nothing besides a pair of tattered jeans. His muscles adorned his body, and in a sense, were almost admirable to take in. He seemed almost simple in nature, like he was a character who would act first and then think his actions over later, due to his fidgety body movements and his persistent habit of sheathing and un-sheathing his claws.

The bear was a large dark brown guy, clearly rippled with muscles. He had the body that seemed capable of lifting Thoice over his head and tearing him in half, yet with his body language, he was clearly a type of person who contemplated his actions long before acting. He had a peace in his step, almost like he had seen horrible things as a youth and was spending his adult life trying to better the world. He wore a pair of shorts and a torn jacket over his body. He seemed to be in his late thirties, but Thoice wasn't too certain about that.

Finally the fox, she seemed to be roughly Thoice's age… well physically at least. Her late twenties body was thin framed, but looked very athletic, as if she spent a lot of time practicing either yoga or gymnastics. She was a light brown with white splashed across her stomach and the tips of her tail. The tufts of her ears were dipped in pure black, and she wore the most intact clothing among them. She had a black skirt covering her waist and a playfully baby doll shirt over her midsection, just stopping short enough to expose the white fur of her belly. "_Clearly the provocative style of dressing must work into her style of combat"_ Thoice thought

He followed the trio of strangers deeper into the cave, trusting that Sierra wouldn't have leaded him into a trap. The path was straight down the mountain's being, until they hit a large center room. In this room were beds, chairs, couches and so forth "So this is where you three live?" he asked with genuine curiosity

"Yep, for the last decade" Alyssa replied with another giggle as she skipped up the large winding stairwell

"Ya got a problem with this?" Richard asked, again displaying his claws again

"Cool it Richard, he was only asking" Octavius said in a plain voice, as if this was nothing new in their lives

"So… I take it you don't get visitors or go out often" Thoice remarked

"Correct… you'll know why soon enough. Please, follow Alyssa up the stairwell. Its… sort of tradition, as it were" Octavius said as he took a seat on the couch, having the couch groan in pain under his weight

"There is a tradition to all this?" Thoice asked, again being puzzled by these three's very existence

"Yep. The rules are; if a female comes seeking the crystal, then two males must escort her. If a male comes seeking however, then only a female is his escort. Don't try to comprehend it yet, the crystal can speak for its own bizarre rules" Richard said as he grabbed a couple of darts and started to throw them into a nearby dart board.

Remembering the pain the supposed crystal put him through already, Thoice wasn't going to test the things patience so he started up the stairwell after Alyssa, who was waiting for him roughly forty steps up.

"Come on slowpoke" she laughed innocently as she skipped down to Thoice's level and then walked with him on his way up "So… any questions big boy?" she asked, playfully looking over him with her eyes

He felt as if he was being undressed with her eyes, and for some reason this made him blush. He looked away and asked "Yeah… what do you three even do?" he asked, wanting an answer

"Simple, we protect the crystal and whomever it decides to be a disciple. I know, it is odd. You think the crystal would pick us… but it has a very picky taste in people. There are the majority of the population who have no idea it exists, there are the three of us who are picked out as protectors of its knowledge and acolytes, as it were… And then there are the acolytes, followers and whatever else you can name 'em." She said, playing with her long hair, which was of a simple black with some playful white streaks.

"Interesting… so am I the first… follower… as it were?" he asked

"Not quite. About eight-hundred years ago we had the first follower, they founded this whole system. No idea where that person got off to now…. But legend says they'll return when the time is right. Then, about a decade ago, the crystal snagged us three… and…. Well…." She said, a tear forming under her eye

"What's wrong? Did it save you from a war? Kill your parents and take you? Hurt you in some way?" Thoice asked, gaining sympathy for his new found acquaintances

"Well… the crystal will explain in time." She stated simply, wiping the tears away "Anyways, after … 'acquiring' us, we simply were given who you were. We read your legend, which was a wonderful story by the way" she said, her eyes flirtatiously looking at him "and we had to wait. If the story was correct, then you were still gone. We kept our eyes, ears and noses open for any sign of your arrival" she said with a giggle "And finally we got a hit. We went to where the crystal said you'd go, and planted the paper there." She said

Thoice grabbed the parchment from his pocket "You mean this was your guy's work?" he asked, suddenly feeling stupid for ever chalking this up to the work of Sierra

"Yep, and in a matter of days, here you are" she said, skipping up the steps again with new found happiness

"Ok, fair enough. So tell me why you're my escort and why I need to be protected?" he asked, tucking the paper back into his pocket

"I'm 'fraid I can't" she said as she stuck her tongue out playfully at him "it's the crystal's job to inform you of those kinds of things."

"So, this crystal is a big deal, eh?" he asked

"The biggest. Ya think the Master Emerald is important? You think the chaos emeralds are important? Well… they are" she said with a giggle "but so is the crystal, but for a whole 'nother reason" she said as she continued to skip up the steps with her boundless energy and athletic prose

"Well… tell me about you Alyssa" he inquired, hoping to learn more about such an interesting character.

"Oh? Well forgive me for skipping over certain things, but I can't speak of everything that has happened to me" she said, blushing slightly as she hid her face behind her hair "ya see, there are aspects of me and the boys down stairs that we can't openly tell you about until the crystal deems it appropriate" she said, hoping Thoice would understand

"I understand I have certain aspects I don't share openly with others too" he said, thinking of a slew of reasons she would be forced to hide a part of her identity. "_Maybe they are a gang of crazed killers, and this 'crystal' is their kingpin… and my fate is to finally die"_ he thought with a pang of worry, but dismissed it because of how incredibly unlikely that was

"Anyways" she said, dismissing Thoice's remark "I was born in the nearby town of 'Reiches Blut', ever hear of it?" she asked her eyes carefully watching Thoice, almost like a predator's would be.

"Yeah… I was there the night before…. They really don't seem to like travelers" he said, the memories still pained him to think about

"No, they love visitors and travelers. They hate what you are" she said slyly

"A legend?" he asked, hoping this was a town that feared people of legends rather than any other more sensible reason

"close, but like I said earlier, this is the crystal's job to explain" she said, tossing her hair back as she continued to walk up the steps, backwards as she looked at Thoice and continued her story "Well, Reiches Blut was an odd town, if not just for its name sake. It's written in a dead language, from about six-hundred years ago. The town's name literally translates to 'Rich Blood' and as such, has a long town history of a certain type of attacks" she said, playfully watching Thoice's reaction to that

"_That is most peculiar… a town named after its blood"_ he thought, pondering what that could mean

"Well, my childhood was nothing fancy. I wasn't born into royalty or anything, just a simple ma & pop lifestyle for this little girl. My parents were simple store owners, but that didn't mean they were any less of a person than anyone else" she said defensively, as if she was used to people looking down on her family

"Alyssa, I can assure you I will pass no negative judgment on your family. I actually respect them, being a store owner is hard work. People always coming to you for your goods & services, really is a stressful and difficult job" he said nicely, hoping to diffuse Alyssa's new found rage

"Oh, I know, your far too nice of a person… just like the stories said you were" she giggled, her anger long gone "Well, even at a young age I was found to be extremely athletic. I would frequently hang around the rafters and such and practice my fictitious routine in front of my parents, almost like an Olympic athlete" she said, a smile to her face and a blush to her cheeks

"Sound adorable" he replied, a smile on his face at such a cute story

"Well, being a store-owner's daughter means you don't exactly have a lot of money, so when I came of age to where I could of competed at a professional level… we weren't able to afford it. So I snuck into the tryouts, forging my name onto the ballot. When my turn came up, I wow'd the entire audience with my routine, earning recognition from the people who had the money" she said, a coy smile on her face

"Seems like you were a little bit of a rabble-rouser" he joked

"Maybe. Well, when I got back home that day, the first-place medal around my neck, my parents were dead in the store. Turns out some crazy gang of people found their way to our town and killed the shopkeepers of many stores…. I just happened to be away that day…. And they….." she said, a few tears rolling down her face

"I understand, it is hard to remember losing two such important people in your life in such an understated faucet of life. But we live in an era where people can see themselves as arbiters of power capable of ending lives to line their own pockets with their greed. Truly tragic, I'm so sorry Alyssa" he said, wishing he could help her somehow

"Its… it's… its ok" she finally said, wiping her tears away "I mean, yes I miss my mom and dad… but I got my revenge. Oh boy did I" she said, her once innocent smile turning into one that a predator would have had. Sort of menacing as it was powerful. Her eyes seemed to dilate a little bit, and her breathing calmed. "Me and Richard were in the same boat, you see. We both just had our parents killed by this roving gang. Octavius, by the way, was a simple police officer at the time, and had no family of his own. But he had a strong moral compass" she said

"Well, me and Richard found out who it was through Octavius, but he told us to let the authorities handle this… well… we were young and impressionable…. So we obviously ran off to take revenge for our dead parents." She said, almost savoring the memories in her hungry facial expression

"Well, Octavius, being like a big brother to us, followed us out to their campsite. They were mindlessly playing around a campfire, counting the money from their murder. Me and Richard ambushed them and drove our swords through the first few we saw. They weren't ready for our ambush, and lost about six guys before they even got to their guns. Only about four were left, but they had us outgun'd, literally" she said with a giggle

"Well, Octavius had them out done. He took them all out with a simple stick of dynamite, and Richard rushed into to kill them while they lay on the ground bleeding from the explosion. But thanks to our little adventure… we weren't welcomed back in our town. So we were excommunicated from our birth town…. Not that me and Richard cared, since we lost everything that mattered that day those jerks decided to kill my family" she said with a passionate rage

"Well, Octavius got the option to receive a promotion in the law-agency… after some deliberation; he ended up turning them down and retired to go find us. He felt personally responsible for what happened to us, so he wanted to make sure we were ok. Well, long story short, he found us and the crystal found the three of us" she said, returning to her original playful self, skipping up the steps with not a care in the world

"_So, bipolar or insane… well at least she isn't boring"_ he thought "Well, that certainly is a tale Alyssa. I'm actually amazed a couple of teens were able to handle their own to a rowdy gang of ill-conceived miscreants. Oh, and congratulations on getting her medal" he said

"Thanks and THANKS!" she said, bounding with joy again "Too bad I haven't been a competing gymnast for eleven years…. But I hope to try again someday" she said with hope in her eyes

The two finally reached the top of the stairwell, and Thoice looked down to see just how high they were. He estimated they were a good fifty stories up, but it could easily be a good ten stories either which way.

There was a large doorway in front of them, and some was inscribed above the wall. It read 'Diejenigen, die Wissen zu suchen sind bestrebt den Kristall'. "Hey Alyssa, what does that say?" he asked, pointing up at the wall

"Oh, it says 'Those who seek knowledge shall seek the crystal' and it's pretty dang true" she said with another giggle as she opened the door.

The room was of a large circular shape, with four pillars in the middle of the room encasing a shrine that was similar to that of the one on Angel Island for the Master Emerald. A top this shrine was some inverted gem that looked as if someone crafted the Master Emerald inversely, but that ended the similarities. The gem, upon Thoice's entrance' slowly begun to shed its colors and appeared to be nothing more than a faded white. Its energy resonated throughout the room, almost overpowering him once again. But it was friendlier this time, and traced itself up to the shrine, as if it was telling him to come to it.

"_Well, I've come this far, might as well see what it wants'_ he thought as he walked up to the shrine. Alyssa walked with him, but she stopped at the base of the shrine's staircase, and Thoice climbed the odd thirteen steps up to the crystal. He kneeled in reverence to the gem, as if not to incur any of its wrath.

After a few seconds passed, Thoice looked around, hoping something would happen "_maybe… I introduce myself first…"_ he though. "Greetings … crystal. I am Thoice Zeitgeist, the famed child of the past. Why have you beckoned me here?" he asked.

"THOICE!" the crystal's voice echoed throughout the room, it sounded almost angry but seemed to be something out of character for his voice.

"Yes… Thoice…. Is there a problem?" he asked the crystal

"No problem…"it replied in a calm voice. Sounding like a very friendly grandfather with its voice now "I have waited eight-hundred and twenty-six years for your arrival child, and now… now we can begin." It stated.

"I beg your pardon, but why have you waited for me? Or better yet, how did you know to wait for me?" he asked the incorporeal being.

"For I know all, young child. I see through the past, into the present, and into the beyond. I am the crystal of time" it introduced itself

"Oh, well I beg forgiveness for my rude question, oh crystal of time" he quickly said, bowing in accordance "Why have you summoned me?" he asked

"For you are the one. The one I have decided to be my latest disciple. For my last one was lost to me nearly three-hundred years ago" the crystal stated, no remorse in its voice

"Ok… explain to me then what my duties are then" he inquired with a morbid curiosity that plagued his very nature.

"Clever boy. You are to be my connection to the physical realm. I shall relay my knowledge through you, and help guide the events of the future to more beneficial outcomes. You shall be my hand in this world, much like my last disciple was in preserving you for this time" it said

"Wait…. Sierra was your last disciple?" he asked, staring into the crystal with newfound intent

"The one you call Sierra was indeed. I require certain beings to be my disciples, and she was one of the rare ones that had a sensible nature to her… thanks to your interaction with her" the crystal said plainly

"What type of special beings are me and Sierra, if we are but two of the people who have lived in the last eight-hundred years that fit the qualifications that you were looking for

"Why, those of vampiric decent, of course" the crystal said

"_Ok, so it's a crazy crystal"_ he thought "What do you mean of vampiric decent? I am mortal, I've just cheated death with a steel coffin compressed under the pressure of the sea" he said, coming to that realization the night before

"Then you are still in denial. Young Thoice, please don't become angry at these circumstances. All things happen for a reason" the crystal said

"Like hell they do! You are telling me that you interfered with my life over eight-hundred years ago, and I assume at some point then you transformed me into a vampire, or at least you want me to believe that, don't you?" he replied indignantly

"Correct. After your interaction with Sierra, I learned of her presence. I was originally going for you, but your poisons being tested in your own body by your own accord, kept me unable to contact you. I reached for Sierra then, hoping to use her to guide me to you… but ultimately that failed. So I went with my plan b, which is to say, I inducted her as my disciple instead. This worked better than I could of imagined, figuring that she had been a vampire for some time prior to my meddling. Although, she asked me to never discuss how she contracted such a disease" the crystal said, honoring her request from the past

"You lie! Vampires don't exist. And even if they did, I would of figured my Sierra to be a blasted vampire, damn it!" Thoice cursed, as he stared at the gem in anger

"Calm yourself, I am not done. As time passed, I kept her close to you, but to be honest… she had already fallen in love with you before my interference. When she asked me if she could convert you, or better yet, the how-to's to conversation, I resisted telling her for a little over a year. Finally I told her, to cease her constant questions. "

"You see, your young Sierra was originally going to kill you the night you met, by draining your blood. But upon seeing you, and falling in love with you, she didn't know what else to do. She contemplated turning you over as a vampire, but she respected you far too much. She spent those three years with you trying to figure out how to make your live work together" the crystal said

"_Poor Sierra…. She spent her time with me out of love, but resisted becoming intimate with me for fear of what would happen… all while she tried to make it work between us"_ he realized, falling to his knees to cry at the misconceived perception he had of her

"Well, then came the night I was trying to have you avoid. The night with young Nigel. When you won against him, you already defied the future, as you were suppose to die fighting him. You truly are a gifted alchemist that much is plain to be seen. But even still, you were passing into the threshold of death, and I still needed you to live. I told Sierra that night how to convert you, as a last move of desperation to make you able to live. She passed some of her own blood into you, but done in such a fashion that it gave her a pained limp" the crystal said

Thoice thought back to the night, in the kingpin's secret escape corridor where the held up in the hallway and Sierra used his own poison to knock him out, after asking him if he trusted her. He then awoke later and remembered that she did seem weaker and there was a limp… but she dismissed it as something else… "_My word… the fact were in front of me the entire time, and I was too blind to see"_ he said, a new stream of tears rolling down his face

"She successfully saved your life that night, and she sent her message ahead to a fellow vampire to prepare a coffin for you. After the events of that night, she had to tear herself away from you, possibly forever, and have you die to take in the effects of vampirism. So, in an act of great love, she pushed you to your death. Only to then romanticize you in the work of literature that immortalized you, against my will" the crystal said, to a now sobbing Thoice

"_She gave me up… out of love. That much I knew… I just didn't know how much else she had to give up to me… Sierra! I'm so sorry"_ he cried out in his mind, wishing her could tell her himself

"Cheer up master Thoice, there is much to be done. Namely, I must quickly teach you how to be what you are and then we must connecting my being to you so that I may have some connection with you, past your horrendous self poisoning" the crystal said

"No." the ocelot replied, standing up and wiping his tears away "We do absolutely none of that until you tell me why. Why me of all people" he demanded

"Very well, you deserve to know. You see, your past had indeed been a dark one, what with the black hand of death you've crossed through people's lives. But you're also noble beyond the cause and a regular genius. You know how to bend situations to your will and that will only improve with vampirism. You're reliable and an invaluable friend and your future had already been predetermined" the crystal said

"Predetermined? Surely I have the choice" he said

"Free-will does exist, correct. But only in certain aspects of life. At birth, certain beings are given a certain mark from Fate. And once, every millennium or so, he creates an arbiter for good. This character tends to be someone who is a genius and has an in-depth knowledge of some craft. Furthermore, this special person's hair tends to fade away into an almost ghostly white and they are unable to perform an evil act beyond their own moral compass" the crystal plainly stated

"_Damn… pegged me"_ he though "So… I guess I don't really have a choice do I?" he asked

"Well… you always do. But your choices are either join me and help to save the future or perish in the future with the rest" the crystal said

"Funny… So the future is placed on my shoulders. And I'm perfectly ok with dying since I can say I've lost my Sierra once and for all" he stated plainly

"Lost and dead are two different things" the crystal said "I told you I lost connection with her, but she never died. Chances are that she got captured, or abandoned me in a fit of rage. I can't honestly say, as she borrowed your recipe so that I can't track her" the crystal said, again placing admiration on Thoice's ability to hide from its gaze, something that the crystal surely wasn't used to

"So… there is a chance she is alive?" he asked, newfound hope filling him up

"Of course there is. But only if you allow me to help, and in turn, you must become a disciple of the crystal. Do you accept?" the crystal asked

"_It may be my only chance to find Sierra… and if I really need my freedom, I can brew my own escape… so… why not"_ he thought quickly "Very well, I shall become a disciple of the crystal" he said as he kneeled before the gem with a grin

"Very good, now hold still for a second and release your mental barrier for a second" the gem said, Thoice was caught off guard by the remark and tendrils of energy surged through him. He wanted to scream in pain, but was incapable of doing anything other than sense the pain. The energy flowed freely through him, feeling almost as if it was a tsunami tearing away at his insides, and in a flash, the pain was gone.

Certain energy hummed inside of Thoice, just making him feel more powerful and calming. But asides from that, nothing new had happened. He opened his eyes to see the crystal in front of him, still glowing with its white shade that mimicked Thoice.

"And there we are, connected in the basest sense. The connection will grow over time, so really all I can do is talk to you from wherever you are" the crystal said

"Interesting… I feel more… powerful" he said, feeling the energy traverse throughout him

"As you should. But we can explain our connection later. Now we must explain how to work as a vampire, as you know, you need to be sustained from the living." The crystal reminded him

The dream flashed back into his mind, how he remembered himself drinking that squirrel dry. The power that surged in the blood as it entered the body and the crushing feeling of remorse as he saw the limp corpse hit the ground after he finished drinking. The face identically in terror as the rabbit he found out in the Mystic Ruins a few days prior.

"Crystal, did I kill that young rabbit?" he asked, wanting to know if it was indeed him

"Yes Thoice. You did. That night, due to your incredibly tired condition and never once drinking for over eight-hundred years, your body required it. So you stalked your prey in the shadows of night, killed her in a few well placed attacks and drank her dry. Then, since this was all done in your primal state, so you forgot all about it and went to sleep, never to remember it" the crystal said

"_My lord, I've become a ruthless killer… what a sinful past for me to live"_ he thought "Wait a second, you said I was incapable to doing evil due to my own moral compass. So explain how I've killed in the past, and how becoming a vampire will make me any better than that" he said, suddenly aware of the oxymoronic situation.

"Thoice, there is a difference in life and death. The planned killings you did in your past build the character you are now. Before then, you were capable of falling to worse. You succeeded in the murders that Death planned for you, and thus proved to Fate that you were the one. As for being a vampire, it merely is to sustain life. The murder you did to the rabbit girl is unforgivable, yes… But it wasn't done by you, but by your primal self. You're conscious self will know when to stop and merely will only drink what is a necessity" the crystal stated

"Even if that is true, I'm stealing their life away. I fail to see how there is any good in that" he replied

"Try to look at the big picture. A vampire can literally live forever. What is a little blood between people to help you to save the future? You have to spend a little to make a lot. In this case, the currency is life-force, and you're forced to collect. It's the requirement we place over you to keep you in check. Otherwise you would be allowed to go renegade and cause your own swath of destruction. This is a forced evil for you, allowing you to always be able to reaffirm your good sense of worth." The crystal replied

"Damn… convincing. But still, it seems like I'm an oxymoronic savior. If I must leech the life of the living, to save the living" he said, appreciating the irony

"It's the best we can do. Furthermore, being a vampire gives way to a new arsenal at your disposal. Namely speaking, you have flight, mind-controlling properties and night-vision unlike anything any mortal possess. You also possess inhumane strength, accuracy and finesse. This, on top your immortal lifespan and a few other tricks of the trade, make you a formidable threat to the world, regardless of how modern it has become. You were shot thrice, in such a fashion that you would of died normally. Yet, here you are, alive as ever." The crystal said

"True… but the pain still surges through me and I bled a short while after" he stated in reply

"The pain still exists for you haven't feasted. Your body needs the blood so that it can repair itself. It's the currency you will continue to spend for immortal life. Generally it is spent at a very slow rate, such as a liter of blood can last a vampire a decade with care. But when you take damage to your mortal being, then the blood must be spent on hasty repairs. That quickly eats through your 'reservoir' as it were, and requires you to feast again. As for bleeding, that was simple trick of your body to feign that you were alive among mortals. Your body is capable of fooling most" the crystal stated

"Ok… what of the sun's searing pain?" he asked remembering the sun's unholy searing pain

"Naturally, with so many powers, there must be weaknesses. One such is your weakness to the sun's light, as it symbolizes life and fertility. You echo death and decay, thus you're the polar opposite and thus must be punished under its glow. Being the alchemist you are though, you already found a way to cheat around that one. Your other weaknesses are, but are not limited to, the inability to pass moving water, holy symbols of the cross and blessed water." The crystal said

"Ok, why those three?" he asked

"Well, the water works the same way as the sun. Moving water is how civilizations are created, thus it symbolizes life and rebirth. You are weakened because of the symbolisms. The holy symbols of the cross and the blessed holy water are of no concern to you. Religion died out two-hundred years ago, and as thus, you are safe to those weaknesses. You will still possess an unnatural weakness to fire however, and that can be incredibly fatal, so avoid flames until you know how to save yourself from them" the crystal said

"Interesting… are there books on the matter that I could read and learn more about my condition about?" he asked

"Yes, but the books are very hard to come by. I hear there is one in the small city of Station Square, by some odd collector. That and some professor known as Dr. Robotnik have copy. But I wouldn't worry yet, you'll do fine" the crystal stated.

"Fair enough… I guess" he said, thinking over his new powers and weaknesses

"Well then, Dear Alyssa can you please come here" the crystal beckoned across the room, making Thoice finally realize that their whole conversation had been inside his head all along, since the echoes were something new to his ears.

"Master Crystal, how may I serve you?" she asked as she kneeled before the gem

"Thoice, this is Alyssa, as you know. What you don't know is what she is. They are considered monsters, defilers of civilizations and creatures of the sin of man. You might know them better as lycanthropes. And they serve me as well as vampires, for they are inherently loyal and protective to beings of our type of energy. It's really a symbiotic thing, before you object" the crystal said

"But sir crystal, surely you jest. Why would they not have freewill?" he asked the gem

"Oh we do. But we also wish to protect people like you, for your rare and invaluable to the future. To clarify, we aren't talking about all vampires, just ones like you. The rare good ones. There are several others in the world, and they are rogues and scoundrels, and we will kill them if given the chance. Think of us like your knights, and you're our king" she said flirtatiously as she winked at Thoice

"I couldn't have said that better Alyssa" the crystal stated with pride "So you see Thoice, she and her associates will protect you not because you need it, but because it's what their job is. With hope, they will never need to exercise their power to protect you, and can spend their time helping you… but you have several enemies now thanks to becoming my disciple now" the crystal said

"Why would you have enemies? Your trying to save the future" he said, dumbfounded by the turn of events

"Because saving the future isn't as black & white as people see. Sometimes, cities must die to preserve the future. Galextrium perished in one night from an atomic explosion. Sure it didn't make sense to the people then, but that city had to die. They would have used their power to kill millions of others under their corrupt rule. I did what had to be done, and as usual, I'm villainized for it. Your line of work is far from glamorous Thoice, but it is a necessary evil, a cruel pun of being a vampire" the crystal admonished

"I see… well… I guess if it's for the best" he started to say, thinking of what his fate was now.

"Believe me, it is. I have nothing but the betterment of civilization at heart. But they are surprisingly resilient to wanting to be saved" the crystal stated "But enough of that, Thoice you need to learn" the crystal said

"Oh, so I get the cutie eh? Just don't be too rough ok, tiger?" she said jokingly as she started to tie her hair back to expose her neck

"I don't understand crystal, what do you mean?" he asked the gem

"You said so earlier; you still ache from your wounds and such. If that is true, then you've already burned through your reservoir of blood in your body, and are running purely on the energy of the night. It is your duty to feast again so that you can benefit the world" the gem said plainly

"Wait…. You mean for me to… with her" he said, gesturing to Alyssa

"Oh, you're going to make me blush over here. Get over here cutie" she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug "See anything you like?" she said jokingly

Thoice was right next to her neck, he could see her brown fur up the side of her neck and the white under-belly of her fur on her neck. As he looked, he could almost feel the pulse of the blood inside her veins, it drove him to a thirst. His canine teeth extended beyond their usual length, and seemed thirsty in their own right. He looked at her neck, and the beautiful blood inside, his breathing calmed and he knew what to do instinctively.

He leaned his mouth to her neck and gave it a kiss once, twice, three times and then stabbed his fangs through her neck. She let out an involuntary moan as his fangs passed through her neck. The delicious blood touched his tongue and he could feel the energy in each platelet of the plasma. He began to sip away at her, all while he held her close. She would moan in pleasure as he drank from her, saying things like 'yeah, that feels so good babe' and 'oh don't stop' all in a lustful tone.

"_Interesting, seems like she is enjoying herself… I wonder if that is my doing or if she is just into this kind of thing"_ he thought as he felt his body repair itself from the blood. His body ceased to ache, and actually felt beyond powerful. He felt like he had the strength to go several days without rest. The energy was really something he would never be able to put into words, but it fueled his very existence.

He drank, until he felt a pang of worry shoot through him "_Thoice, she needs the blood too. You have enough"_ he told himself, so he slowed down and pulled his fangs from her neck. She let out a disappointed moan and held the back of his head, as if she wanted him to keep going as she whispered "please don't stop" in a moaning voice.

He pulled away from her and retracted his fangs with some involuntary action, as he wiped his mouth from the act he just committed.

"There we go Thoice, was that so bad? Note how she is not only alive, but thankful for what you just did to her" the crystal stated

She stood there, shaking with the pleasure that still reverberated through her, a lustful gaze in her eyes. If Thoice didn't know better, he would have assumed she just had sexual intercourse. "Crystal… why did she react in such a way?" he asked

"Simple. If the process was just to drain blood from people, then you would have long starved out ago as a race. Evolution saw this dilemma and had it be a two way street. Much like when a mosquito drains blood from a target, it numbs the area. When you do the same, you send pleasure down your victim. From what I understand, it transcends the pleasure one would sustain from sexual intercourse, but I can't say that factually. Alyssa might be able to, but we would have to wait for her to come back around, as she still seems lost in the pleasure" the crystal remarked

"Ok… I mean it makes sense. But then would this work on anyone I drink from?" he asked, worried that he might be able to abuse this power

"Well… sort of. It will only work on girls for you, as vampires tend to target to opposite gender. Your powers of seduction over that gender will allow you to essentially dominate them, and in turn, they will want to be drunk by you, although they won't know that. It is something in their primal nature. That being said, they will not know when to stop, you will frequently be forced to stop for them, as they will lose themselves in the pleasure." The crystal said

"I understand" he said, thinking about how Alyssa reacted during and after "So… when will I need to drink again?" he asked

"Well, a fair amount was used to fix your body and so forth. But even still, lycanthrope blood works better than normal mortals. So you should be good for a couple months. But it's up to you. You'll know when you hunger again, and you'll have plenty of time to act on it. Generally, when a vampire thirsts, you'll have a good three weeks to act on it before you start to incur the penalties of not drinking" the crystal admonished

"Penalties? Explain please" Thoice asked

"Well… when a vampire goes on without drinking, his body slowly starts to weaken. The power he once had innately leaves him and soon he retracts to mortal standards. This is detrimental, sense you need a small amount of this power to stay alive. Soon you'll be plagued by unknowing pain, your primal sense will start to take over and you'll be without your powers. If by some luck you manage to get someone to drink from, you'll most likely drain them dry, for you won't be able to rationalize to stop. It is best if you don't reach this stage, if you understand" the crystal said

"I understand, and thank you. What is my objective now?" he asked _"scary, if I don't take care, I might kill to sustain. I can drink, I'm ok with that. But to kill to survive, it shall never be justified by me"_ he swore

"Your mission will come later. For now you must spend some time honing your skills. Feel free to walk around and enjoy the night. Never Lake is a beautiful sight to behold under the moon. As for me, I must rest. All this talking and the ritual of connection we preformed has tired me. Until next time disciple Thoice" the crystal said as it left the room

"Until next time" Thoice said as he bowed to the gem "_Well, now to learn what I have become"_ he thought as he grabbed Alyssa's lust struck hand and lead her out of the chambers back down to the base floor.

* * *

><p><strong>To the few of you who figured out Thoice earlier, congrats. And yes, before you ask, he is still a vampire in 'the Mobian Adventures', but don't worry. he is a good guy. Geez. Ok, so i know that was a LOT to read, but to summarize it simply<strong>

**1. Thoice is a vampire**

**2. Lycanthropes protect him and the crystal**

**3. the crystal protects the good in time, even if it seems evil at the time**

**4. It defines, to an extent, my defination of vampires. I'll be keeping a generally accuracy to the old school vampires (none of that twilight shiz-snaps), but that being said, i'm nixing certain things. Like, how you have to invite a vampire into your home. That just comes off as slow to the story, and so i'm streamlining it. Don't worry, it'll be a fun element**

**So, as usual, i would love some feedback to all this. Still taking suggestions for Original Characters. I could use a few rogue vampires or lycanthropes. Don't worry, i won't kill them unless you want me to. Asides from super natural characters like that, i could also use some 'normal ones' like... hedgehogs and such. It's cool if you don't want to share your character, i'm just asking. You can send it to me via Private Message or hit up my forum (link of profile page). Until then, i'm working on the final chapter to 'The Mobian Adventures'**


	6. No Choice

**Author's note:**

**Well here we go. I give vampires a firmer definition as well as some story on the other characters. Remember to hit up the Forum (link on my profile page) to learn more about this AND 'Mobian Adventures: Freedom'. Its... really ungodly just how much community support i've gotten for that already...**

**anyways, enjoy**

* * *

><p><strong>No Choice<strong>

Thoice walked down the steps with a dazed Alyssa shadowing his steps, still holding her neck and trying to desperately hold onto the blissful memories of being sucked by Thoice. He, however was in a different mindset and was mindlessly walking down the stairs contemplating what just happened.

"_Me? A Vampire of all things. And Sierra was not only a vampire, but a protector of this crystal as well. I have a trio of lycanthropes who wish to protect me… and I'm a vampire!"_ he couldn't help but think, taking into account what he just learned about himself. His weaknesses, his powers, his cravings and how this seemed to answer why modern life had been so hard on him. "_Can I believe it? I guess… I mean it was a stretch thinking that the sun was capable of harming me simply cause I had low melatonin levels due to a suspended state of suspension…"_ he pondered

"Hey Thoice…" Alyssa voice projected, tearing him from his mental discussion with himself

"Oh…" he said dazed, while he turned to look back at her "What is it Alyssa?" he asked, worried about her as well as her 'family' of likewise cursed brethren.

"Uhm…" she giggled for a second blushing as she moved her hand from the still fresh pinpricks in her neck "So… what's it like being a vampire?" she asked

"_Like being forced to live an eternal life haunted by my cruel past"_ he wanted to say but he simply smiled as said "Not that much different than being normal, I guess. Well, asides from the blood thirst…" he admitted, the taste of her crimson blood still in his mind somehow making him more powerful than usual, a phenomenon he wasn't quite used to yet.

"For some reason I don't think you're telling me everything" she said, jumping down a few steps so she could walk by his side "I mean being a Lycan is pretty boring. Except on full moons, on a good full moon you feel so powerful" she said, almost relishing the thought

"Oh yeah, I wouldn't know…" he said absent-mindedly "_here we are, talking about our super natural ailments no different than if it were the weather"_ he thought with a grin.

"Why you smiling? You know something I don't?" she asked, feeling as if she was left out of some joke

"Oh it's nothing dear, just thinking. So why is it one female guards a male vampire, yet two males shall guard a female vampire?" he asked, still trying to figure that one out

"Oh… funny story actually. Turns out female lycanthropes are more powerful than males. So, I could probably fight and win against Octavius and Richard if I really wanted to" she said, doubting herself "Whereas in the vampire world, it's the opposite. A male vampire is more powerful, especially one like you. Your what we call a 'blood chief' since you're the only line in your linage, thus you're at the pinnacle of your power…" she said, as she trailed off to watch the moon through the cracks in the wall of the stairwell

"Wait… I'm a blood chief? What does that even mean? I am a chief of something?" he asked, bewildered by the fact she told him

"Oh yeah… I read about that a long time ago… since there isn't much else for us to do here…" she admitted sadly "Any-whoodle, since you're the top of the tree, as we would say, you are the most powerful of vampire. All you need to do is find a queen and then you can begin to sire a bloodline. Now you can convert them by biting them… although you will be able to choose how much power you give them, and it's impossible for you to give someone else power even near your own" she said, almost praising his ability

"Odd… ok, what else then?" he asked, intrigued by his life

"Well, then you slowly create what you call a 'family'. Really it's just a hierocracy… so you're the king of this world, you have a queen or queens… oddly enough you can have as many as you want" she said flirtatiously "and then it works like a city… I guess? I dunno, it's a lot of reading and I didn't understand much of it…. We still have the book though" she admitted

"Interesting, I must read this novel at some point" he said aloud

"Any idea who you would make your queen?" she asked innocently enough, although he could read her motives. He sensed that she was curious if he found her attractive

"_Weird… I can like… read her mind…. Must be a vampire trait"_ he dismissed "Uhm… yes and no, I guess. I don't know if I'd want to father an entire blood line of accursed beings like me…" he said as he was still skeptical on if he even wanted to be a father, let alone a king of his own blood line.

"Oh…" she said, partly saddened by his dismissal of her "Well anyways, whatchu going to do now?" she asked

"I think I'll take a walk over to Never Lake and just enjoy the sites… maybe hone some of these vampiric powers I apparently have now" he honestly replied, dodging her feelings for romance yet again

"Oh cool, cool. You want some company or you good?" she asked, again trying to find a way to spend time with him and not make it seem stalker-like

"I guess you can accompany me if you really want to, but I'd feel better if you got some rest. I probably drained a good few liters from you, so you might want to rest yourself since you're probably deficient right now" he said, giving her his medical opinion.

"Naw, I'll be good for sitting on the lake's edge and watching you toy around with new tricks" she said, blushing slightly

"Careful how much you blush Alyssa, that causes your blood to rise to your cheeks rather than circulate around your body" he said medically, dismissing her emotions

His remark only made her blush worse so much so that she leapt down from the stair well and hit the base floor to get a few seconds away from Thoice. The fall was easily a good fifty feet, but since she wasn't a typical being (and also athletic on top of that) it was nothing to here. "_My how abnormal she is… I'd like to study her further"_ he thought, keeping a mental note

He reached the base of the stairs to see Octavius mindlessly reading a book and Richard taking a nap on the hammock strung up in the corner. "I see your back in one piece, how went it?" Octavius asked, not taking his eyes from the book

"Pretty good. So I'm now a disciple of this crystal, a vampire and … well that's pretty much about it. How goes your evening?" he replied, downplaying all of what just happened to him

"Not much over here. Just reading up on the stars. Ya know you can use these things to navigate?" he asked

"Yes, back in my day they were the maps of the heaven. One couldn't safely navigate the world unless he knew all of the heavenly bodies. I plan to take leave of this den and enjoy their company once more, I'm curious to see how much they've changed" he stated

"Oh, well take Alyssa with ya. She needs to get out and stretch" he replied plainly, rolling back over on the couch to read his book more intently, and also ending their conversation

Alyssa was waiting at the entrance way, jumping up and down in excitement. "What is up with you girl? You seem far too excited to just be leaving the den for a few minutes" he remarked

"Oh nothing, I just rarely get to go out and explore the world around us." She said, trying to hide her infatuation with Thoice, which he read clearly in her body language if his vampiric powers weren't enough.

"_Weird… I can read her emotions, thoughts and secrets with ease… but I gleaned nothing from Octavius… must be from who I drink… or something"_ he pondered as he strolled out of the den with Alyssa bounding around him like some energetic school girl, desperately trying to get Thoice to play with her.

He walked carefully to the lake, the memories that he and Sierra shared slowly flooded his mind. Before he knew it, he was lost in a flash back

***Splash***

"Thoice! Why did you splash me damn it, you know I hate getting my dress wet" Sierra said teasingly as the two strolled the lake's edge

"Well, think of it as how a boy picks on a girl he likes. I splashed you out of love" he said cleverly

"Cute, but it doesn't work that way. Now I have to dry my shirt off" she said over-dramatically

"Oh calm down, I can dry it off in a heart's beat" he said smugly as he took out a small vial and placed a few drops over her dress. In a matter of seconds the acid fizzled with the water and her dress was left dry as before the incident "There, now can we enjoy our stroll?" he asked plainly

"You never cease to amaze me… well accept in how you keep hiding your past from me. Come on, tell me something fun about your childhood" she said as she sat down on the lake's bed to watch the waves, pulling him down to sit with her

"Fun?" he asked, thinking back through his life for such an event "Uhm… let's see… there was a time in my life when I was actually at peace…." He begun, picking a special memory out for her

"Oh?" she replied, leaning on his shoulder to get comfortable "Tell me all about it" she beckoned

"Well… shortly after my parents died, I wandered the streets in hopelessness. Unsure if life had meaning for such an odd child, one who was slowly becoming a faded-white cat. As you probably didn't know, I was born brownish… but this ailment took me early…." He said, looking at his white fur which he admired "And yes, my parents were killed before this… but you said a happy story" he quickly stated

"I know, but you're telling me about your parent's one-of-these-days" she said, making sure to hold him to his word

"Of course love, but back to me" he laughed "I roamed the streets in uselessness, taking refuge in alleyways and forests. But one day, a kind old man found me. He called himself 'X', as in the letter five. I never really learned why, since my time with him was short" Thoice admitted, remembering the time he had with X

"Anyways, he found me and took pity on me for one reason or another. He said something about me being 'chosen' and 'Fate' pre-determined me, but I never knew what he was saying. The man was always talking about something that was minutes into the future." He laughed, remembering all the predictions X made.

"Well, he took me back to his shop, and he happened to be an alchemist. He taught me the craft, which I mastered in no time. I honestly can't explain it Sierra, but the chemicals, the ratios…. The quantities and the power behind such natural components… it mesmerized me as a kid. I spent many afternoons brewing my own mixes. In time X got ill, and I spent much of my time learning what he had left to teach me, and running the shop in his illness" he said, remembering back to a time when he had a simple job

"Well, I was unable to figure a brew to save X's life, but he did tell me that this was pre-determined by Fate, and that this will all make sense later… but I'll admit, it's never made sense to me…." Thoice admitted sadly, looking at the waves "With his death, I really only had two choices. Either run town and take up residence elsewhere, hopefully finding meaning. Or take ownership of the shop and try to do well for such a poor town. I took the later, and never regretted it." He said with a smile

"Time passed, and I was soon something of a renowned alchemist, people of the small town had longer life-spans, less deaths and more successful child births. They wanted to credit me and make me a statue in my honor, but I would never allow such a poor town to lavishly spend their meager wealth on such a thing. I took their wellbeing as a badge of honor, and wore it proudly to the heavens" he said

"But Thoice, isn't pride one of the seven deadly sins?" she pointed out

"Makes sense… in time I would be forced to leave the town in permanent exile. It was something of a hamlet for sure, they called it 'Reiches', which was ironic for the name meant 'rich'." He laughed with Sierra

"My, how ironic. I'm sorry Thoice, your life always seems to be one un-happy event leading into another" she said as she stroked his fur to soothe his mind

"It's alright Sierra, it was all worth it to meet you in the end" he said earnestly, as she frowned at the remark

"Thoice… what if I told you I wasn't exactly the person you thought I was?" she asked

"I wouldn't care Sierra, love made me blind. I know you have your defects, we all do. But I only love you more for them. It's not like your some sleeper agent placed in my life to keep tabs on me" he laughed

"Yeah…. Not at all" she nervously said, petting him as they watched the waves

***Bonk***

"Hey cutie, you were zoning out at the lake. I thought you were sleeping or something. Heck, I dunno. Maybe vampires sleep as they gaze at lakes" Alyssa said with a laugh

"Oh… it was that obvious? I'm sorry, I was just … 'night-dreaming' about the past" he said with a chuckle

"Oh… what about?" she asked, her eyes wide and childish

"Nothing, just something that happened over eight-hundred years ago" he admitted, hating to say how long

"Oh… so watch this!" she said all excitedly as she hunched on all fours and became more primal. Her fur grew a few inches, her ears became more pointed, her eyes became more of predatory slits and her tail seemed to gain more muscle to it. She then ran around the place at remarkable speed and pounced on an alligator that was beaching on the lake.

They fought for a second but she over-powered the reptile and proved she won by lifting the thing over her head and tearing it in half. The organs splattered around her and she proceeded to eat her kill, almost completely oblivious that Thoice was standing right there in horror of what he just watched

"_My word, I lost my connection with her…. And she feely did that. No remorse or anything? If that is what she can become… what of me?"_ he thought, remembering that the crystal told him that if he falls to his thirst then he'll become primal and loose his rational thought. Thoice feared losing his thoughts more than anything else, for he might forget of Sierra, and he'd be damned if he'd ever allow such a travesty to take his life.

She ate away at the gator until it was essentially finished then she took a couple of long gulps from the stream and washed her claws and muzzle in the water, to make herself seem more clean. She then walked back to Thoice, slowly transitioning from all-fours to her normal bipedal movements. "Ya like that, cutie?" she asked playfully as she straightened her hair

"Like that? Your savagery is far from applause from me, I mean seriously. You enacted a state of primal tenacity most unbefitting of a woman of your age" he said maturely, hating to have to lay down social etiquette rules on what should be a fully grown girl

"Well excuse me 'Mr. I'm eight hundred and something years old', and that makes me better than everyone else" she said defiantly "In case you didn't know, I've spent a decade outside of towns. Like I'm supposed to be all lady like anyways? I'm a frick'n lycanthrope! I disembowel things for fun!" she said loudly and stormed off back to the cave with her back arched in clear anger.

"_Great…. Now I'm burning bridges and I haven't even known her for an hour yet"_ he digressed as he said out to her "Wait, I'm sorry Alyssa, I really am." And she stopped and turned back and cocked her head at him "Look, I'm just taking a lot of new things in right now… it's not every day you learn that you're a vampire…. Or that you have to obey a crystal… or that your new friends happen to be lycanthropes…" he slowly admitted

"Oh yeah…" she said sadly, just now realizing how much he was going over right now "I'm sorry honey buns" she said playfully as she skipped over to him and gave him a hug

"It's alright" he managed to say past he hug as he freed himself "Your company is just refreshing dear, for its been so long since I've been able to just be myself" he admitted, missing the days with Sierra

"Oh, and what is it that you do?" she asked

"Come, and I'll show you" he said playfully

She followed him into the nearby brush, where he quickly spotted some herbs and fungi and roots. He grabbed a bunch in what appeared to be random assortment, amazing and confusing Alyssa. He quickly mashed them into a fine paste and took out a beaker. He placed a few drops of a green-tinted acid on the mush and the compound combusted. Blue flame sparked off of it, and sustained for a good fifteen seconds before dying

"Wow Thoice, that was super awesome. How did you do that?" she asked with her child-like interest

He explained the chemical reaction to her, only to have her look dumbly back at him when he realized she wasn't learned. So he said "Well… I took my acid compound, which caused this base to react violently. Essentially, the two don't like each other. So a small war happened and the acid won, hence why there is no compound left" he said

"Oh, that is awesome. Is this what you used to do? Have fun playing mad-scientist?" she asked

"Sort of… I played many roles in my life. Protected child, orphan, chemist, murderer, doctor, arbiter… but I've never been called a mad-scientist" he admitted with a laugh

"You were an orphan?" she asked, and he read her feelings about how she felt when she lost her parents. "T_hat's right, she is an orphan too". _"It almost seems like our lives were meant to entwine" she said hopefully as she cuddled up against him.

"Uhm… yeah… I guess. But yeah… I'm an orphan. It's a pretty sad story, so I'll tell you later. Not because I don't think you can't handle it, but because I don't think I can right now" he said, as he wiped a few tears from his eyes

"So men can cry?" she stated, seeing him wipe his tears away "In ten years I've never seen Richard or Octavius cry, so I assumed that only women could. But here you are, crying!" she said, amazed by the action

"Well… yes. When you get down to it, all that separates the males from the females is a few genetic differences. Why wouldn't I be able to cry?" he asked

"No idea… it never crossed my mind" she said with a laugh, as he read her mind saying "_I just never thought you would have tears left after what happened to you in your life"_

"I mean… sure, I've had a tough life and all… but crying it what makes me feel alive. I lost everyone I ever cared for back in my death… and yes, I miss them. But you also learn to move on" he said, not even believing his own words

"Hmmm… want to wrestle?" she asked spontaneously

"After seeing what you did to that crocodile? I think I'll pass" he said, thankful that she gave him a reason prior

"Oh come on! I'll be extra gentle with you! Besides, you should be able to take me out in one hit, being a vampire and all that!" she said, really just wanting to see what a vampire could do

"Look, if you really want me to show you what I can do, just ask" he said, proving that he could read minds as a way to get her to change to subject

"Wait… can you… like read my mind?" she thought, instantly changing her thought to the number four "Ok, what number am I thinking of?" she asked playfully

"Four. Now please, I don't want to do boring parlor tricks. I actually want to see what I can do, so if you don't mind" he said plainly

"Oh fine. Do you even know what you're doing?" she asked

"I haven't ever" he said with a mad smile as he ran away from her. He felt the speed through him, as if he almost phased into the night itself. He could smell the aromas of all that was around him, he could sense the lives that were near him and he felt as if he could run for days on end. He quickly climbed up to the top of a nearby hill and looked down over the other side. It was easily a good hundred meter drop, and he smiled at the concept of jumping.

"Wait Thoice!" Alyssa said, her voice more feral sounding as she bounded up behind him on all fours

He turned around and waved at her as he leaned back to fall off the cliff. He plummeted off the cliff's face, smiling as he felt the wind beat through his hair. "_Finally, some peace. I can now test something I've read about vampires back when I researched them"_ he thought "_and besides, if it doesn't work and this fall kills me… good. I'm tired of living… all I have left is the thin glimmer of hope that Sierra even exists at this point"_ he admitted to himself bitterly

***Ring, ring***

The bike then road away with a small child riding it, Thoice identified the child as the paper boy as he through a small newspaper on his door step. He grabbed the parchment and took it inside. "Good, now I can read the news. I sure hope there is something good in here for once" he said with a smirk

He quickly thumbed through the pages till he found the page he had morbidly been waiting for, the obituaries. 'Mr. Tyler found dead with neck pricks across the left of his neck. A fair amount of blood drained from the corpse. Vampires expected to be at large', the headline read. Thoice chuckled for a second before the morbid action finally took him again.

"Well… there goes another one. Seven down" he said grimly as he put a seventh 'x' into his whiteboard. "This one was tricky however… placing the blame on something that doesn't exist. That is a trick in its own right" he said, admiring his own prowess

He walked down his hallway and went into his little lab. He walked down the small stairwell, lit a few candles and the room slowly lit up. Sitting on the mangle was a two-pronged syringe, of his own design. "A marvel when you think about it, I wish doctors would accept the validity of such a device. It allows the extraction of blood as well as the injection of other chemicals. If God didn't want us to have it, then why would he allow me to invent it?" he asked the device

He thought of the cleverness he had to employ, sneaking a large amount of neurotoxin across Mr. Tyler's manor to knock out his guards. Then to sneak in, undetected and find his way to Mr. Tyler's room. Then to inject an impossible to detect drug into his blood stream that couldn't kill him because of how many white blood cells he would have. To remedy that problem though, Thoice took a good few liters of his blood before hand, to weaken his immune system. Something as powerless as the common cold ended up taking Mr. Tyler's life, and Vampires were at blame.

"Can I continue this life though? I perform so excellently, one would almost assume I love this job. But God knows I want out as much as one can want. Yet I'm stuck in this accused contract until sixteen of these unlucky men fall to my blade, as it were" he said with a sicken face, looking at the jars of Mr. Tyler's blood sitting on his desk next to a few books on vampire lore. "I guess I can toy around with a few more viral deaths… they … are at least somewhat of a challenge to perform. I can at least enjoy that aspect of this blood-pact I've signed with the Devil" he said disgustedly

***Rustle***

He awoke to see himself still falling from the cliff's edge, Alyssa looking at him with her predatory eyes as if she couldn't discern him as friend or foe, and thus unable to decide to save him. He then rolled over in the air and looked at the ever approaching ground. "_Well, now it's show time"_ he thought morbidly as he focused his mind on the pages he read when he was preparing Mr. Tyler's death.

He soon felt the embrace of night en-cloaked him, he felt as if he existed and yet, did not. He was no longer falling, but merely staying there stationary. Everything was in black & white hues, as if he was in pitch black, but he looked around and he was exactly where he was as he closed his eyes. The ground lay before him, a mere hundred meters from him, and Alyssa was at the cliff's edge, madly looking around for him.

"_Odd, shouldn't I be perfectly visible?"_ he thought as he looked at Alyssa's reaction. He tried to walk but found he couldn't. He struggled madly, but to no avail would he move. He abandoned that sensible route and tried to imagine himself moving. In a blink of an eye, he appeared right next to Alyssa. "_Ok… how did I do that?"_ he thought, feeling a slight drain in his strength.

Everything was still black & white, so he took a second and tried to release the power of the night and after a few seconds the grasp left him and he fell two inches to the ground he was hovering over, panting right next to Alyssa.

"THOICE!" she cried out as she turned back to her normal form to hug him madly "What did you do! You jumped off the cliff and magically disappeared!" she cried out with emotional tears and he could feel her overwhelming sadness that she had lost him forever

"Hush, hush" he said calmly as he patted her back "I'm alright. Like I said, we are testing what I can do, remember?" he said calmly as ever, as she continued to cry in his shoulder. "_I really have to remember that she actually has an attachment to my being… if not just my bodyguard, as it were"_ he said, making a mental note to not dismiss her anymore

Minutes passed and she finally let Thoice out of her bone crushing hug as she said "Ok, I understand you were testing your abilities and all that…. But please let me know beforehand, ok?" she asked innocently, enacting the cutest face she could use to try and guilt him

"I promise" he said plainly "But to be honest, I had no idea if that was going to work or not. I just read it once-upon-a-time…" he said, reminiscing to his past.

"Ok, now I'm tired" she said, panting a little bit "this is weird… usually I can run for much longer" she said, bewildered by her fatigue

Thoice merely sighed and remarked "Alyssa, remember. I drank your blood. You kind of need that stuff, so you had less platelets transfusing oxygen to your heart muscles to help you…" he said as he noticed her blank stare "Err… I mean, less blood equals less running. Got it?" he said

"Oh, why didn't you just say so?" she laughed "Can you help me back?" she asked

"I guess… but I want to try one more thing" he said

"Ok… make it quick" she said, looking behind him to see the sun's rays coming over the horizon "You don't have much time" she said

"Oh damn, your right. Ok, let's try this then" he said as he grabbed her in a hug, he then pulled out to the shadows and darkness around him to encase him again. They rushed to him and his vision faded back to black & white, and he say that Alyssa looked as if she was made out of woven shadows and thought that is what he must of looked like. He imagined the entrance to the cave and in a heart's beat, they appeared there.

He felt a steady drop in his stamina, and released the shadows. They materialized in front of the cave, and he fell to his knees in tiredness.

"What was that?" she cried out in excitement

"That" he said with a hefty pant "Was a vampire trick" he wheezed

"That was so fun! You looked amazing… and …" she said finally looking at him in his tired state "Whoa, you don't look too good. Here, let me help you inside" she said as she bent over and slung his arm over her back. She helped him inside the cave and he slowly gained his energy back and was able to walk on his own.

"Well, thanks for the walk tiger" she said with a yawn "But don't mind me, I'm going to hit the sack. You're welcome to join" she said, her primal hormones seeping through her consciousness

"Uhm… thanks but no thanks. I got something's to do before bed anyways" he said dully

"Oh fine, just remember you can bunk with me whenever. It'll be fun!" she said with a tease in her voice as she skipped off to her room.

"So, your back in once piece are ya?" the bear stated, still reading the same book he was when they left.

"Yeah… just tried out some new tricks. It's actually very tiring to be a vampire" he said with a yawn

"Well from what I've read about youse folk, you can definitely scratch the surface on limitless power… but that comes from ages of practice and draining life essence. Don't expect to be amazing anytime soon, bub" the bear said plainly

"Wasn't hoping on it, I'm actually thankful for the challenge. Otherwise this curse would of only been a blessing" he replied with a grin

"Careful what you wish for friend, an eternal life may sound fun and all. But do you really want to loose all your friends time and time again?" the bear asked calmly

"I couldn't live the first time I lost them… what makes you think I'll do any better this time?" he replied sadly "On the up side, I can make my own family of vampires according to Alyssa. So if it really comes to it, I'll have an immortal family" he said plainly

"True… but how will you enforce the rules? They aren't nearly as sophisticated and polite as you. You can just as easily create an immortal crime syndicate; do you want to be responsible for that?" Octavius said with a smirk

"Well now that you say it…" Thoice replied angered by the bear's ability to work at his subconscious "regardless of which, that won't be for several years. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it" he said plainly

"I guess. So what you want to do till its nap time?" the bear laughed

"I don't know… since your apparently my new found guardians… how about you tell me a little bit about yourself?" he replied with interest as he pulled up a seat next to the bear's couch

"Alright? Need a drink or anything?" he asked, gesturing to the fridge nearby

"You know what, since I drink blood and all… I really don't ever seem thirsty anymore… it actually kind of sucks" he admitted.

"Fair enough ya freak" the bear laughed

"Hey, I have one question before you start though…" Thoice said as he played with his thumbs, thinking of how to ask

"Ok, shoot" Octavius replied quickly

"When you go … 'feral' as it were… do you lose your rational thought?" he asked

"Oh… tough question buddy… I guess I have to answer yes and no." Octavius said carefully "Yes we have rational though, like I can make sure not to kill innocent orphans and such… but at the same time, certain things seem more appealing. Like you could see a deer bounding through the forest and you just lose it. Next thing you know your disemboweling the poor things and eating away its carcass" he said with a slight chuckle "why do you ask?"

"Well… Alyssa wanted to 'show' me something, and decided to show me her feral stage. Well… in a matter of moments, she attacked a crocodile and tore the thing to pieces and ate it… it terrified me. If you can lose it on something so base… what will happen to me" he said, feeling his conscious growing heavy with possible deaths

"Whoa Thoice… we are lesser beings in comparison to you" the bear said as he sat up "Look, you're a guy who would literally give up anything to save anyone. I know that. Being feral just amplifies the weaknesses you have in certain areas, like moral grey areas and such. I think you'll be just fine, regardless of how feral you become" he said comfortingly

"It's a tempting fantasy Octavius… but come on. If I become blood lusted, I will lose my rational thought. Rational thought is the only reason I haven't poisoned the three of you when I got here. Rational thought is the reason I didn't smash the crystal. Rational thought is why I'm not an evil person. To lose that… I could very well become the very thing I hate most in society" he said with a shudder

"Well… if it really is that much of a problem to you, don't get blood thirsty to the point where it happens. I mean, Alyssa seems more than willing to always let you drink from her. Although, I'd recommend resisting that urge" the bear chuckled

"Oh trust me I will, I would like it best if I never had to in the first place. It feels so wrong to send a young girl so much pleasure in exchange for something she needs to vitally. I know it will mess with her moral compass for some time, but I hope she can look past the pleasure and see the cruelty I enacted on her…" he said remorsefully

"Heck, cruel or not, women dig that kind of pleasure. You have to remember buddy, you basically gave her the same feeling as multiple orgasms and then some. She will now never be able to fully enjoy sex now, not being able to compare it to that feeling. So you ruined that for her… but you did give her the ultimate high… so it balances out, right?" he said

"I guess… I'll have to ask her for her forgiveness… but enough of that sinful past. Tell me about you Octavius" Thoice remarked as he crossed his legs on the chair and intently waited to hear the story

"Ok, not much to say really. I was born into the upper district of the city, so I had some pretty wealthy family members. My dad was a military genius who devised our police system and my mother was a world famous movie star. So my childhood was pretty normal to say the least" he laughed

"At any rate though, the blessed childhood I had needed to end, so a sweeping plague took my parents in a tragic change of events. I was left with enough of an inheritance to keep the family house for some time, at least till I became an adult. I then sold it off to the city and got a meager apartment. I enlisted into the police force to try and do some good for the city I loved" he remarked

"Well, I was quickly accepted, based on who my father was. I rose through the ranks till I got to sergeant, then I had to actually work from that point up. Things were slow, and doing well was hard in such a corrupt town. I had to willingly free certain criminals because of the bribes they made to my superior officers. It angered me on so many levels to be so powerless" he said with some rage

"Well then that fateful day came. Some roving bandits decided to hit up our town for a quick withdrawal, if ya catch my drift" he said as he cracked his knuckles "so they went to about a half dozen shops and killed the owners and took their register's wealth. Naturally after they got wasted at one of our bars."

"So I tried to hunt these sons-of-a-b*tches down, but they eluded me…. Still no idea how. I went back to the station to turn in my badge, having felt that I ultimately failed my task. Well, wouldn't ya know it; two young kids hunted me down and asked me about the bandits…"

"I told them what I knew, because I wanted them to know that the law had this under control, ya know. I tried to scare them… well poor old Alyssa and Richard there don't scare too easily. They ran out to the forest to exact revenge. I decided to tail them to scare them back to town, so I brought a stick of dynamite… well that and my trusty side arm."

"I found them out in the nearby thicket, with six bandit corpses on the floor and four bandits aiming at my kids I meant to protect. So I lit the sticks and threw them and ultimately my distraction saved them. I tried to take them back to the city, but they weren't allowed… for ya know, the city only likes the corrupt that it can control" he said with an anger

"So… the kids were exiled… and I was offered a huge promotion and raise. I would have been able to live like my parents… in lavish wealth and eternal luxury. Hopefully you can see why I turned them down, and retired that day to rush out and protect those poor kids?" he asked

"Definitively, the kids deserved some respect for what they did, not to be shunned from society as some crazed outcasts. They acted braver than many men I've known in my life, I would have honored them if given the chance" Thoice replied

"My thoughts exactly. Takes real balls to go exact revenge on people that killed your parents. So I found them and over time I helped them survive… ultimately we were led to this cave and well… the rest is history" he finished

"Wow Octavius… I applaud you for your honesty. Most people would have been alright sacrificing two kids for a healthy sum of capital… but you stuck with your morals. Your parents raised you properly" Thoice replied plainly

"Thank you pal" Octavius said with a tear in his eye

"Oh, and feel free to shed a tear every now and then. Alyssa was convinced that men can't cry because of the façade you and Richard play over her. Stop trying to shelter her, she is old enough to know that the world is not perfect. Let her experience pain and truth. For then and only then can she learn" he said as he got up to head up stairs.

"Damn it, they weren't joking when they said you were wise beyond your years…" he laughed "Where ya going off ta know?" the bear asked

"Bed, if you could believe that. I'm tired from pulling what I pulled earlier" Thoice replied.

"Oh, well sleep tight. I'll try to keep Alyssa from waking you up… but damned if the girl isn't sneaky" Octavius laughed as he headed off to a nearby bed

Thoice walked up the stairwell thinking about the conversation he just had "_Well, at least they aren't uncouth savages… Octavius actually has a heart as big as the muscles that could tear me in half"_ he thought with a smirk "_And Alyssa is just a playful girl who has managed to be sheltered from the cruelties of life. I can fix that, no way she can 'protect' me and not endure some suffering from the world… I seem to never be able to avoid it myself"_ he thought with a black humor to his personality.

***Glimmer***

"Like this?" Sierra asked as the beaker fizzled madly all over the desk

"Well… sort of" Thoice said with a laugh as he wiped up the mess "Try it again, but less sulfuric acid, that stuff reacts quickly" he recommended

"I'm trying to, but I can't mentally see all these ratios like you, ya damned brain" she laughed

"Look, it's not that hard. Just measure with your digits, alright? Like… a thumb of sodium bicarbonate and about a finger of sulfuric acid. Ok?

"Alright, but if this stains my dress I will paint you purple" she said, since she had learned of Thoice's pride in his white fur, she has constantly threatened to dye it other colors to punish him. She carefully used her thumb to measure enough of the sodium bicarbonate and added it into the beaker. Then she took her finger and measured out an amount of sulfuric acid, once she added it to the mix the chemicals turned red and glowed.

"There you go Sierra, told you that chemistry wasn't that hard" he said with a laugh

"I guess not, so what's it do?" she asked, mesmerized by the colors

"Well… you see… with the mandrake's root and the dragon's tongue mixed in with the sodium bicarbonate and sulfuric acid, on a constant flame it will percolate into a nice jelly. We will then add this jelly into a fission chamber I've constructed and tear out the raw carbon extract and apply that to some assortment of herbs I have prepared and the result will be one health potion." He said with a grin

"All that for once potion?" she asked, slightly amazed

"Well… technically people just use the jelly and liquefy it… but that only can do so much. My potions can cure so much more at so much faster of a pace" he bragged

"And see, this is why you're teaching me. Mobius already recognized you as a master alchemist, you have a showcase of trophies at the Central City's science hall, and I've seen them. Why don't you ever go to accept them?" she asked

"Simple Sierra, why do a job if you're looking for recognition? I just do it to help people, and if that just means helping a little boy enjoy his daddy longer, then that is all I want. Shiny trophies and flashy medals don't mean anything to me, because it is the city trying to find ways to own me and my formulas. I only trust you enough to not spread this knowledge around… people have an interesting habit of creating things they weren't supposed to know" he said carefully

"Oh you can trust me, I couldn't teach this even if I wanted to. Heck, I barely know what I did" she laughed

***Glare***

The sunlight from the morning light peered through a crack in the stair well, searing Thoice's pale flesh with pain. "Ouch! I wasn't ready for that" he cursed at the sun as he quickly walked up to the Crystal's room. He walked into the room and saw the room was as it was earlier, but he looked at the gem itself. He saw there was a podium in front of the gem, something he had missed before. He walked over to the ledger and read

'To the disciple of the crystal of time: Your powers can be researched in 'Vampiric destiny' located in the back of this room. As for bedding and room, those too can be found in the back of this room. Go to the wall and control darkness to open the passage way

-Time'

"Odd… so either the crystal can write or…. Whatever. I'm too tired to question the supernatural right now" he said as he walked past the gem and saw the wall. He then tapped into the powers of the shadows and the wall slide open to reveal a hidden door. He opened it and there was a rather spacious room. It had a comfortable bed in the middle, covered in lace off of the four-posters around it. The wall was adorned in very gothic art, and a book shelf was displayed with two chairs for reading. A desk was also available in the room, which gave Thoice an immediate sense of home.

He walked to the book shelf and looked for 'Vampiric Destiny' to read, he found it after a few moments. He then walked to the desk, took out some parchment from the desk and dipped the feather in some ink to begin writing down his memories from his past, so that he could remember what just happened today. He had questions for the crystal and wanted to make sure he didn't forget such.

After he penned a good dozen pages of writing, he put the quill away and rested his wrist as he opened the book up. There he read carefully of chapter one, which was entitled 'Basic Vampire Abilities'.

'Vampires, as denizens of the dark and night life, are subject to the painful beams of the sun …' "Yeah, I know that stuff, geez… where are the spells" he said impatiently as he panned through the chapter "Aw, yes, here we are"

'A vampire can tap into the shadow realm for many super-natural abilities. Of these are the ability to teleport through the night, to shape shift into other small animals of the night (atypically a bat) and the powers to seduce people thought process. However, these abilities are generally only usable at night, for a vampire of this early of stage can only derive his power from either the moon's unnatural glow or from the blood within his or her body. A well-feed vampire, under a blood moon is capable of unspeakable power, and as such is feared by all rational beings.'

"Well… that is a bummer. I can only tap into these fun powers at night because of the moon's glow. And this part about the blood moon…. Not a huge fan of this. I swear if this causes me to lose rational thought or something" he muttered as he continued to read

'A new vampire may spend most of their time practicing simple tricks of their 'trade' as it were. Such as reading minds, seeing for pulses and honing some style of combat with their supernatural supplement. Most vampires choose to work with their spells, casting dark magic from afar, as to discourage hand-to-hand combat, where much finesse is required. Some vampires love the power of steel and thus take up the sword and engage their prey in unfair duels, as a vampire has more speed and strength than most mortal races, and easily the most finesse behind the art. Few vampires choose a path other than these two, namely for they lack a way to 'cheat' the battle into their favor.'

"Well that doesn't sound like me at all; I don't see any need to cheat to win. Not do I want to fight. But I guess I might as well try to learn some of these spells… they may be handy" he remarked as he continued to read

'A blood chief has no need for such petty fighting forms though. For a fully actualized chief can simply dominate the mind of mortal races, sire his own family to fight for him, and use his domestic lycanthropic protectors to dispatch his enemies. A note on lycanthropes, they only can be 'domesticated' by a blood chief, if any other vampire attempts they will most likely succeed in getting attacked by the Lycans. Only a blood chief can command their respect, and after that whoever else the blood chief deems important enough to protect. Most chiefs choose his family to protect with the Lycans, but few have used their protectors to eradicate their family and hunt for untold power'

"Wow…. So I can ultimately dominate the minds of others… seems like a power that might try to tempt me the wrong way" he thought aloud "And it's also bizarre that these Lycanthropes will only obey a blood chief, and THEN whatever else he deems. It's almost a miracle that I got into this cave, I would have died if I wasn't a blood chief… and I didn't even know" he thought with a chuckle

'A blood chief is only fully actualized, or at least, capable of such, when he finds a queen. At such point, they will seal their power within one another through intercourse and the two will become fully actualized. The queen will gain a swatch of new seductive and manipulative magic to use, whereas the 'king' will gain untold power. He will ultimately become the more powerful of the two, but may still play favorites with his queen and listen to her advice. As such, a blood chief can't not actualize with another male; a female must be used for the ritual'

"This read only gets more and more interesting… so if I actualize then I get a bunch of new power. And I will be so powerful that I can choose to not even bother to listen to my queen's advice… it really seems like a test of personal will" he thought aloud

'A cruel blood chief tends to be the ultimate result, despite many attempts to change that. Due to their overwhelming power and immortal life span, they soon become detached to the simple issues that their kin must deal with and a schism grows within the family. No other vampire can ever actualize to be a blood chief, in the same blood line. But, if for some reason the blood chief happens to be killed, one of two things can happen depending on how he had stored his power. Either the rest of the family will die along with him, for he stored the power within the bloodline, and thus by killing the metaphorical 'head of the snake' the rest of the body dies. The alternative is that he stored the power within himself, upon which his power will transfer to his queen. She will never be able to reach the power he had, nor be able to access some 'blood chief' specific powers, but she will none-the-less be a manageable threat. Only once in history has a blood chief married into a blood widower and the unholy …'

"Ok, I got bored" he said as he tucked the book away "But that is good to know. If I make my own family, I will have to work extra hard to make sure I rule fairly. I don't want unrest to arise… and I certainly don't want Sierra to have to live without me again" he said, for in his mind Sierra was his queen.

The tiredness of being up for so long, on top of the powers he used today with the writing and reading he just endured had finally taken the drain on Thoice. He looked at the bed with a tired hunger and slipped between the covers.

"_Just think Thoice, you have a second chance to find Sierra…. All you have to do is be patient and work on being a better vampire"_ he thought as he closed his eyes and let slumber find him.

"Just thank you Thoice. You're a good friend" echoed Sierra's voice in his head as he drifted off to dream land.

* * *

><p><strong>Shortest chapter yet... still a healthy amount though. As i said when i started this, it's meant to have long chapters BUT that is because its also not suppose to last that long. like 15 chapters, tops. Anyways, what did you think? I thought i did good with the bulk of it...<strong>

**Yes that is my definition of a vampire now. You can hate or love me for it, but that is what i'm going to work with. And regardless of what you say, i WILL not make him sparkle. :D**

**Anyways, for those who REALLY care 'Mobian Adventures: Freedom' info is ALL available (in disgusting amount and detail) on my forum [link of profile page]. If ya want, hit it up. Like i said, the community has been force feeding me so many ideas that i HAD to pour some onto the forum just to free up some paper at home. I had like a small stack of papers here with plots and such on it... its... nerdy. **

**Anyways, leave a review or PM me if ya liked (or heck, like) Mobian: Legacy, and wait for 'Freedom' to come out.**

**- Peace as always**

**Steven 'ZiGeNaToR' Ziegler**


	7. Other

**Author's note:**

**Starting up the 'prequel'ing' to 'Mobian Adventures: Freedom'. Here ya'll learn of a race of bears. It'll make sense when ya get to it. Yes... you have 1 more chapter of this to go through before i start posting up 'Mobian Adventures: Freedom', so please, relax. My PM box can't handle sooooo much. haha. **

**P.S. the bear civilization and ... such ... is generously donated by Ultrabot Ultimus The Hedgehog, and you'll be seeing more of his contribution in 'Mobian Adventures: Freedom'. **

**At any rate, **

**-Enjoy**

* * *

><p><strong>Other<strong>

"Hey sleepy head, get up!" came a familiar voice

Thoice woke up to see a vaguely familiar room around him, the walls were lined with gothic art and a book shelf was up against the wall. A desk from across the room of the bed, and a far too happy fox at the foot of his bed. Then he remembered, "Oh Alyssa, it's you. Sorry, I was having the most peaceful nap" he said, finally happy to of slept for once without some cruel flashback attacking him.

"It's alright, you looked pretty cozy. Too bad you aren't one who cuddles…" she said with a giggle "Anyways, I just came up to get ya. Took me forever to figure out how to get in here…" she admitted with a mischievous grin

"Yeah… how did you get in?" he asked, feeling the power of the shadows surging through him. He tried to dismiss the presence, but quickly figured that the presence was bound to him, much like one's identity is.

"I had to ask the crystal for access…" she said with a frown, and he looked at her trying to discern the truth or not. He realized he couldn't read her mind.

"_Most peculiar, last night I was able to read her thoughts as if they were my own. But here I am, talking to her as mere mortals do. My how joyous"_ he thought with a grin "Super then, so I take it the gem wishes to divulge my 'mission' as it were?" he asked, getting out of bed. His shadow interacted with the physical realm and quickly made his bed, before he even noticed.

"Thoice… did your shadow just make the bed?" she asked, cocking her head in confusion

"I guess it did. Pretty nifty if I say so myself" he laughed, no longer dismissing the fact he was no longer a typical mortal "I'll find out whatever else it can do later, but I have a conversation with some mysterious power. You wish to escort me?" he asked, holding his arm out playfully

She looked at him, joy beaming in her eyes as she looped her arm through his and said "Right this way sir" with a giggle.

The two left his room and the wall slowly shifted over the door to his room, hiding the existence of his private study once more. The main room was basked in a multitude of colors, but upon Thoice's presence reaching the gem, it slowly diluted to a ghost white. Alyssa stopped at the stair case and removed her arm from his, albeit begrudgingly

"Are you not allowed up unless asked?" he asked, for the first time actually realizing this phenomenon

"Well… no. That is an honor for the disciples and not the protectors…" she said, casting her eyes elsewhere "Well, go on. Talk with your buddy"

He dismissed her odd behavior and walked up to the gem. Its rich voice echoed in his mind

"Greetings child, did you find your slumber befitting?" it asked with genuine interest.

"I slept just fine, why have you beckoned me now?" he asked back

"Well… it seems that you are ready to begin the initiation ritual…" the gem begun to say

"Ritual!" Thoice interrupted angrily "You've already taken me as a follower. You converted me into this unholy beast without my knowledge. And now I must perform a ritual for you?" he angrily spewed

"Relax; it's not as severe as you think. Now let me explain myself" the gem hummed. Thoice relaxed his shoulders and let the gem talk "Thank you, now in the past the ritual consisted of sending the disciple to eliminate some target. And this will be quite the same, as it is traditional. I'm sorry child, but your future is soaked with much bloodshed, and it is my current task to help you gain a concept of 'responsibility', as it were" the gem stated

"To kill again?" he replied slowly, looking at the gem with a soulless gaze "I'd sooner slit my own throat than send another soul into the oblivion" he remarked viciously

"Again, you jump ahead. You must take responsibility for your role. You guessed it some time ago, you are an arbiter. Just you had your employer all wrong. There is no 'God' that employed you, but me. Your eradications have been carefully planned by me, and each one served its purpose to help shape you into the kind person you are now" the gem said

"You!" he stated in pure disbelief "You're the reason I'm haunted by my past, and now you want me to believe this is all for a better future? What about my future damn it, I'm tired of closing my eyes and seeing the corpses of the people I've killed and the past life I was robbed of!" he cried out, tears freely flowing.

"Calm yourself child, I'm sorry if you dislike what your life is to be, but understand it is for the best. Each person you took into the afterlife helped the world to become a better one. You have prevented world wars from breaking free, you saved cities and you've liberated lives. Is that not enough reward for one soul?" it asked quizzically

"To most, that would be plenty. But not me. I never asked for this life, nor did I ever aspire for this. I lost my parents to the cruel fate of this world, I lost my innocence to the tides of chaos, and I lost my sanity somewhere over time. But my freedom to rectify my past, that I've help onto feverishly" he remarked calmly.

"But you've never had that freedom. I've told you, Fate marked you early on. Your life is full of death, betrayal and sin. But ultimately, you're the hero that saves Mobius from a fate worse than death. You save billions of lives and let them lead a life of freedom and choices, because of your eternal sacrifice. Remember, what was written in the past, encouraged the good of the future. You've impacted the collective conscious of Mobius once already, why not again?" the gem asked

"Because I did what was right. I fail to see why the world can't grasp this concept, and live a life free from the vices of the temptations of sin" he begun to say, feeling the shadow energy surging through him rapidly as his emotions built "But to make me an eternal arbiter, destined to take away the impure beings from the world. I shan't be destined for such a life" he remarked, the shadows encompassing him. The energy swirled around him, blocking all contact with the gem. He could feel the crystals power brushing against the shadows that encircled him, but he kept his wall up as he sat and crossed his legs to think what had just happened to him.

"That damn crystal has been playing me a pawn all my life. I killed sixteen cruel men, albeit for a better future for Mobius, but at what cost? I have dipped my paws in the eternal fountain of sin and bloodshed, and I wish for nothing more than to cleanse them of the past. This damned being wishes to send me back into the cruel path I once followed… do I accept, knowing that Mobius's very existence may teeter on my conscious decisions?" he asked himself, looking at his paws for the answer

The crystals tendrils broke past the shadow and asked a simple question "Thoice… why do you hide from your fate?"

The question shocked him, for up until now he was able to dismiss it as tragedy and cruel life events… but to hear the crystal ask him with such a basic question… well it hit him deep. The shadows phased from him, sinking back to the darkness in the room and he replied emotionally "Because I never wanted it… why can't I protect people with my potions, rather than kill them with my poison?" he asked plainly

"Because your life is a double-edged sword. You must kill those who deserve it, and save those who need it. In time you'll see the weight of your existence. It's just too soon for you to fully realize your responsibility" the gem replied

He stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes "Very well. I give up. Apparently my soul is doomed to an eternity in purgatory, so I might as well take my apparent 'responsibility'. Who is my target" he asked coldly, officially detaching from his emotions

Images flashed in his head rapidly, of some large bear who wore a headdress. He had tribal marks all over him and seemed a power of authority. "This is Kai-Chi, and he is the grand shaman of an ancient tribe in the north. These proud people are dead because of him, your job is to remove the shaman before he removes the entire race from the planet" the gem stated

"Wait… if they are dead, how can I stop something retroactively?" he asked, looking into the gem at the depiction of the bear shaman

"Simple, I shall transport you into the past. Did you think you can only affect the present? No, you're a disciple of the crystal of time. As such, I shall dispatch you across the eons of existence to eliminate and save certain key individuals. Thanks to dear Sierra, I've been without direct contact for some three-hundred years, so we have to play some catch up…" the gem digressed

"So, let me get this straight. I have to go back in time, kill a powerful bear shaman, to preserve a race of people who technically don't exist right now?" he asked

"Yes and no, you see… Time is fickle. Events can change, and futures can be altered. You, are blessed for you radiate my power, thus making you immune to any paradoxes that can be created. The world however, shapes and alters due to these acts you commit in the past. Essentially, you painstakingly travel into the past, to ensure a better future. Wiping the cruel and diseased existence from the timeline, and replacing it with a healthier alternative. Imagine, a gardener removing a series of dying crops for a plethora of healthy ones." The gem tried to explain

"I see…. So I remove these bloated existences of sin and folly from existence, to ensure the overall future to be better?" he asked

"Correct. But I will also send you into the future and occasionally the present to help guide events. Only in the past can you personally alter the time line, anywhere else and you're far too young to rectify the results. Mayhap in time…" the gem digressed

"Fair enough. Shall I head this alone? And how do I return?" Thoice asked, anxious to get out of the room with the gem so that he could relax and take in his new life

"You shall be taking Alyssa with you, for she is a sworn protector to you. Since she'll be with you, she shall also be immune to any such paradoxes. As for your return, you will return to this room soon after you complete your mission. Time will snap and the good future will overtake the bad one, causing a spatial distortion. You'll be safely thrown from the disturbance and brought back to here, and now." The gem said, albeit cryptically

"Fair enough, send me into the past master" he replied, kneeling to the gem

"Summon you're protector and prepare yourself" the gem stated

"Alyssa, please come here and prepare for an active duty assignment" Thoice instructed

She walked up the steps, carefully at first and then hurried next to Thoice, almost scared of the crystal. She stood next to him, seemingly ready for whatever was going to happen next. He grabbed her hand and the room stopped rapidly.

Time seemed to wind in reverse, pressure fluxed from very intense to lack thereof and weird sensations fluttered between the two. He desperately reached for his shadow to protect him, if not just Alyssa, but to no avail as no such thing existed in this pocket in reality. Finally, his field of vision snapped and faded to white, only to be immediately taken in by a serene forest and a dirt trail through it leading up the hill side.

The two were thrown forcibly away from another, into the lush grass. The noonday sun tore away at Thoice's flesh, so much so that he hissed in pain and instinctively reached out to the shadows to protect him. They rushed to shield him from the sun's gaze, only to be slowly eaten away by the sun's constant stream of existence. He took the time to quickly rush to a nearby tree and bolstered his being in the shadow overcastted by the tree's formidable form.

"Thoice, are you alright?" Alyssa asked as she jogged up to him, worry apparent in her eyes

"Yeah, I'm alright. I wasn't ready for the sun though" he winced, as he looked through the branches at his celestial enemy

"Don't you have your vial of stuff to protect yourself from the sun's ray?" she asked, remembering the conversation they shared the night before

"Typically I would… but I left it on my desk…" he slowly said as he rummaged through his cloak "I don't think the proper ingredients are here…" he added, carefully thinking of how he was going to circumvent the sun

"What do they look like, I might be able to find them" she suggested, optimism leaking from her voice

"Don't be daft girl; such ingredients don't just grow everywhere. I'll just have to use the trees for cover and … I guess hope for the best" he stated plainly, thinking of any alternative

"Fair enough, but if it gets too much, don't stress yourself. We have plenty of time to do whatever we are here to do" she said, looking around and sniffing the environment "Odd… I smell civilization nearby…" she said aloud

"Oh quite, a thousand apologizes. I keep forgetting I converse with the gem mentally" he said with a chuckle "we are here to kill a shaman of this tribe. Apparently his actions doom the entire race of these people, and they are needed in the future. I have no idea why, for the gem didn't elaborate… but that is the mission" he stated, looking around to take in the territory

"Ok, so are we … like in the past or something?" she asked

"Yes, but I can't say how far back. We may be able to discern based on social customs and so forth, but until we can say for certain I need you to play the part of a traditional woman. Namely, nothing personal, but I need you to be subservient to everything I say and do and never speak unless spoken to. Chances are we are back in a time before women had standing rights, and thus your actions would doom us to appear as outsides" he explained remorsefully

"Fair enough, but I will protect you regardless of it 'giving us away' or anything, just know that" she said, barring her teeth in glee

"I never dismissed your duties. I merely stated how you should act. I ask that you be professional." He stated

"Oh listen to you, being all mature about this. Damn it's actually kind of sexy" she teased as she brushed up against him playfully before bouncing off down the dirt path to figure out where it led

"_Yes… quite. Well enough of that, I need to be able to protect myself… maybe…"_ he thought as he willed the surrounding shadows to him. He slowly fed the shadow through his clothing, placing a very thin layer around him, just above his fur. Slowly he emboldened the cocoon he placed himself in, hoping that this would at least give him a fighting chance of standing under the sun for a few moments. "Alyssa how does this look?" he inquired

She looked back and cocked her head to the side before grinning and saying "Well, you look silly to me. But to everyone else you'll appear as a black cat. Well done" she laughed

"_May not be the most fashionable choice, but let's hope that doesn't impede function"_ he thought as he followed behind her, gingerly walking wherever shadows were casted to continuously bolster his 'shell' from the sun.

The two continued down the dirt path until they came to a large wooden wall. Adjacent to the wall were two large burly bears, armed with spears and the most festive of battle garb. They had feathers adorned across their hair, war paint down their face and most of their upper torso and tomahawks strung across their sides. They seemed far more than capable of defending the entrance to whatever they guarded, which only sent a pang of concern down Thoice

"_I hope I speak their language"_ he thought, quickly brushing across all the languages he had learned over his extensive research into alchemy. They approached and the bear man to the left lifted his paw up

"Stop, you are travelers, are you not?" he asked rehearsed

"Why yes sir, we most certainly are. We seek refuge you see, for we have traveled many moons without rest" Thoice said, hoping his back-story would at least work at the man's sympathy

"Quite, where do you hail from traveler?" he asked

"A small port city located towards the south. We are heading north to visit her family you see, for her mother is rather ill. I but her boyfriend, and thus it is my job to ensure her safety. Does this appease you sir?" Thoice replied confidently, for he had been a master of creating identities on the spot in his past

"Aye. I hope you and the miss a kind trip. You may use our lodging and partake of our wares, but be warned. If you do anything that offends the clan chiefs, we will be forced to exile you from our lands" the man warned as he opened the gate to them

Thoice and Alyssa quickly walked inside, holding hands to hold up the illusion that they were dating, to continue to pass their story.

"So, I'm your girlfriend now, am I?" she teasingly whispered to him

"Remember, don't speak unless spoken to" he replied, not taking his eyes off the massive city

The city was clearly pre-industrial. Log cabins and canvas tents littered the settlement. Bears of all sizes walked among the path, most having either war paint and/or feathers adorned on their heads. Some took odd looks at Thoice and Alyssa, clearly not used to the concept of travelers. But none dared interrupt their journey as they continued with their day-to-day business.

Thoice led Alyssa to a nearby lodge, a large log cabin structure. The front had a couple symbols on the front, which he identified as alchemic symbolism. He knew he was among the far dated 'Grizzly Tribe'. He was really anxious to learn if they were as alchemically advanced as his texts made him believe.

Inside was a large bear, he had a headdress of feathers and war paint across his face. Very curious markings crossed his body, and Thoice identified him as the target the crystal identified for him "_Damn, of course it would be my fate to kill off their alchemist. How cruel is irony…"_ he thought dejectedly

"Greetings child of the sands, how have you traveled so far?" the man asked Thoice

"Excuse me sir, but child of the sands?" he replied

"Oh excuse me; I thought you were one of the desert cats. I guess your dark complexion would explain otherwise" the man laughed "I am Kai-Chi, the medicinal shaman. How may I be of assistance?"

"Oh, I wanted to see the legend at work" Thoice replied with a grin "I have studied alchemy all my life and I crave to learn from the best of the best. According to what I have learned, you are a master at the numbing toxin" he said slyly

"Hush" he said quietly, looking around the store for any eavesdroppers "Please, follow me" he said getting up and opening a door to the back of the store. Thoice and Alyssa followed him inside

"Nice place you've got here" Thoice remarked as he took into account all the beakers, test tubes and flasks littered around the room on work benches. Herbs, roots, small animals and other organic compounds were carefully stored away in containers all across the room, clearly the room of an alchemist

"How did you know of the toxin?" Kai-Chi asked cautiously

"I did my homework. I know how to brew the dose as well" Thoice replied, taking a small vial from his coat and handing it to the man "I embellished on your original design and found new ways of hiding the protein within, giving a more stable reaction with the victims hemoglobin" Thoice said cleverly

"My, my, my. I would have never thought of adding Adder's tongue to the brew" Kai-Chi said as he analyzed the bottle with his eye, shaking the contents back and forth "And what is this, sodium bicarbonate?"

"Among other things, yes. I even use some thyme to help agitate the compound for maximum effect on organic targets" Thoice said with a grin "All thanks to you, sir Kai" he said with a bow to the man he was destined to kill

"You are beyond clever, and so young… how have you mastered so much at such youth?" the bear asked, handing the vial back

"Simply by pursuing the great questions of life" he replied, pocketing the vial. "This is my friend, Alyssa. I am Thoice. Pleased to meet you" he said, now formally introducing himself to his soon-to-be victim.

"Honored" Alyssa said begrudgingly, clearly not used to being cultured and mimicking whatever it was Thoice did

"So, tell me why you are truly here" the man asked, taking a seat on a wooden chair propped up in the middle of the room, next to a small stand carrying pages of notes

"Like I said prior, I wish to glean what you know, to further my alchemic knowledge. Do you think you would be able to part with some knowledge?" Thoice inquired

"Well, judging by the vial you showed me… I probably would be the student here. I'm sorry master Thoice, but I can't teach you. You have surpassed me in ways I never dreamed. I am only able to teach you traditional recipes of the Grizzly Clan, and those aren't allowed to outsiders. So pardon me, but I have a royal batch for the chief to work on" Kai-Chi said, gesturing them to the door as he thumbed through his notes

Thoice left with Alyssa and when they closed the door and stood in the main room he carefully looked around the room and said "That's our target" in her ear

"Really?" she replied, worried and concerned "but he seems so nice, how can you be so certain"

"Unless he has a twin… Notice how I haven't killed him. We must perform some research of our own." And with that, he took her and they walked back out into the noonday sun.

The beams continuously brushed against Thoice's layers of shadow over his flesh, but at a rate constant with the regeneration from the nearby shadows. He rationalized as long as he minimized exposure to only a few minutes per session, he would be able to blend in as semi-normal among these bears.

"Hey, you, come with me" said an echidna with a few followers. They all had beads in their dreads, and ink across their body. The leader was of a pasty-brown color, and the rest were either of a dark shade of brown or silver.

"Why would I wish to?" Thoice responded to the strangers

"You're a stranger here, are you not?" the man asked

"Yes…" Thoice replied cautiously

"Then please follow us, we have much to talk about Thoice" the man said cryptically

"_Wait… he knows me? How the what now?"_ he thought rapidly as he decided to follow the band of echidnas.

"Are you sure about this Thoice?" Alyssa whispered into his ear

"I think I can take them if need be. Besides, I have you to protect me, unless you doubt your abilities. Also, remember. Mum's the word" he whispered back, reminding her of her silence

They walked out into the nearby forest, leaving the safety of the town. They then continued down the path, taking a detour to the left to enter the thicker reaches of the forest. It was a clearing in the middle of the forest. The echidnas continued walking till they reached the center, then the five turned to face Thoice, the four accomplices taking out wooden stakes

"Was it really so easy to trick the 'accursed alchemist' so easily?" the man said with a laugh

"_Blast, an ambush!"_ Thoice cursed in his head "What do you want?" he asked, keeping his voice calm

"Why, we wish to end your life now. Quite simply, we don't appreciate such a horrid being walking among the living, the world of Mobius needs you to die, no offense" the man said sarcastically as his men slowly walked out to encircle Thoice and Alyssa

"But I don't get it. I haven't done anything … if anything, the things I've done have been good. Right?" he asked, confused by this turn of events

"Sure you would like to think. But killing our chief sort of makes us want to exact revenge, surely you remember that?" the man asked, defensively and angry

"No, I don't. I have never met your people before" Thoice cried out, desperately trying to make his assailants understand this "I have a simple mission to carry out. Please, let bygones be bygones" he asked hopefully

"I'm afraid we can't allow that. For as long as we have blood in our veins, rather than drenching you're accursed fangs, we shall fight you to our dying breath. Get him!" the man ordered

The men rushed at Thoice, wielding their stakes primed to kill the ocelot. He reacted by dipping into his left pocket with his paw, taking a vial out and breaking it in his paw, thus drenching his paw. He then jumped back to the shade of the trees so that he could bolster his shadow-barrier. He kept his right arm held against the tree, so that he could use it for balance and other acrobatic maneuvers.

Alyssa took a different approach; she extended her claws and burst out into some bizarre hybrid form of her lycanthropic state. Her fur grew, but she remained bipedal. Her muscles bulged with strength, but her eyes kept a state of consciousness deep within them. She roared fiercely and leapt at the attackers. They were ready for her however, and drew swords. The blades reflected brightly in the sun's light, shimmering and almost blinding Thoice's vision.

They swung hopelessly at her, while she dodgde the attacks and attempted to rend the attackers in twain. Her first victim was torn in half from the power of her claw, his disemboweled being splattered across the clearing. Her fur took the tinge of the blood that soaked over her, while she growled in delight. The remaining three attackers encircled her.

The front most attacker went to attack her, she dodge his swing and went for her own in which he parried the attack and thrust his blade at her. She leapt in the air as he gashed across her chest, resulting in her bounding to the tree to then climb up them for a predatory advantage, growling at the attackers with primal anger and hurt pain. Blood dripping from the branches in the trees, showing just how much pain she was in.

"You thought we were fools? We brought silver-tipped blades for your little pet Lycan. The silver negates her regenerative powers, allowing us to slowly hack away at her till she dies. And for killing one of us, I can further guarantee her death now" the man said proudly

"Very astute, but you forgot one thing." Thoice remarked, a sinister grin on his face, anger boiling inside of him for seeing someone he cared about getting hurt

"And that would be?" the man replied, looking around the clearing for some type of trap

"ME!" Thoice roared as he rushed from the trees. The sun tore slowly at the shadow encasing him, but he didn't care. Such primal rage boiled up inside of him, that he wished to only tear the men in half to soothe his undying hate for their mere existence.

The men sheathed their swords quickly and took their stakes to hand to prepare a quick stab at his heart. Thoice engaged one in close combat; he madly brought his right paw down on him, to which the man pushed off with the stake, leaving him open for Thoice's left paw. The claw dragged across the man's chest, causing blood to soak his paw and give it a sinister presence over his white fur and slowly decaying black shell of shadow.

The man fell to his knees, crying out in pain as he clutched his chest and fell over, ceasing to breathe. The other men bolstered their nerves and drew their swords to fight him. He rushed at them, sending his shadow as tendrils to the men. They parried the attacking shadow, leaving them open to Thoice assault. He pounced the man to his left, taking him to the ground. He punched his left paw through the man's stomach, letting his poison drenched paw seep through the man's innards before leaping off of him to engage the final attacker, pulling his entrails out with him as he leapt.

The man cried out in inhuman pain as the poison attacked his very being, as his nervous system was attacked first, making the screaming more than unreal. His blood seeped into the lush grass, as his entrails spilled onto the floor. He cried out in one last shriek of pain before collapsing to the floor.

The last man was ready however. He madly swung at Thoice, hitting his shadow a few times. Thoice grinned madly as he rushed to the man. He stabbed the stake straight through Thoice's chest, as he slashed away at the man's chest with his left claw. They fell away from each other, Thoice's shadow leaving him and the sun tearing down at him.

The unreal pain of the sun caused the pain to finally hit him, the stake had just missed his heart by mere inches, but the pain was still more than enough. The unfortunate echidna however simply clutched his heart and fell to his side while screaming silently. A truly horrified expression on his face as his eyes stared at Thoice.

Thoice grabbed the wooden stake and tore it from himself, causing clumps of his flesh to fall from him. He then turned to see the last man still standing there, sarcastically clapping his hands.

"Well done Thoice, well done. I expected nothing more from the man who brutally killed our chief. Unfortunately for you, this is the last day you get to live, you unholy monster" he said, as he grabbed a sword.

The sword was covered in holy symbols, crosses and psalms adorned the blade. The handle had a clove of garlic tied to it, and the tip was dripping some type of water. "You like the blade that will kill you? It is fashioned from the most blessed steel in all the land, adorned with religious symbols of the cross and the words of the saints. The tip is dipped in holy water and the base has garlic designed to force you to keep your distance. A mere child could kill you with such a perfectly designed blade, but I shall take the honor" he said gleefully as he rushed towards Thoice

Thoice looked at the blade, and only grinned madly. He didn't care about the blade. He didn't care about this man's seemingly inhuman grudge against him, nor the fact he was probably going to die. He just smiled like a fool and felt unnatural power seeping through him. A tendril of shadow sprouted from him and shot to the heavens, causing a beam of pure shadow to come from the sky and encase Thoice. The wild echidna stopped running at him to gaze at what was happening

The blue sky started to tint to a shade of blood red, the clouds became hollow shades of black against the sky. Lightening crackled in the sky and the ground glowed an eerie glow. Fog slowly rolled from where Thoice stood, slowly covering the ground in a dense and unforgivable obscuring mist. He just stood there, cackling madly as he arched his back and clenched his fists in undying rage. His left paw grew long unholy nails, which solidified with pure shadow. An unholy aura spewing from where he stood, giving him an unnatural glow

"What are you!" the echidna cried out, worry finally taking his face

"Death!" Thoice cried out gleefully as he vanished from where he stood. In a heart's beat, his long claw was through the echidna's chest, appearing from nowhere. The man realized only moments afterwards as he coughed up blood onto Thoice.

He then opened his hand inside the man's chest, slowly pulling away at the structure of the ribs until it ultimately popped, tearing the man into an indescribable pile of flesh and blood. All while the echidna screamed in pain that caused the very sky to smile with a cruel amount of pleasure.

Thoice looked at the torn corpse and smiled with an unholy appearance, savoring the man's corpse. He then grabbed the blade, feeling the pain sear against him as he broke it in half and cackled "This! This is the best mortals have against me! I am a god compared to such trivial things!" he laughed, as he threw the remains at what was left of the man's face.

He strolled over to the corpse that was most intact, lifted it to his mouth with his shadows and drained the corpse in a matter of seconds "Pity… I thought such 'heroic' fighters would taste better" he said with a cruel laugh

"Thoice! Please… stop!" Alyssa said as she limped over to him

He looked at her, and with her limp an image of Sierra shot through him. "Sierra…" he said dumbly as the power faded from him. The sky returned to a peaceful blue, the clouds became white once more, the fog lifted and the cruel aura encasing him ceased to be. He clutched his gaping wound in his chest and fell to the ground, crying.

"There, there Thoice. Let me help you" she said as she leaned down and threw his arm over her shoulder and walked him to the shadow of the nearby tree, to spare him from the sun.

"The pain…. Is… refreshing" he said with black humor, watching his wound slowly seal itself and disappear. His outfit then begun to repair itself within the shadow, and soon he looked as good as he did before the fight. "Odd… no fatigue this time… I wonder why?" he asked

"Oh… you don't remember?" she asked, a terrified face accompanying her question

"No… I remember you getting cut by that blade…" he started to say, looking at her wound. The gash was across her chest, and clearly was not going to heal normally. "Here, let me fix that" he said, as he leaned her back on the grass.

"Oh, kinky" she teased as he simply grinned and checked her wound carefully. The gash was just between her breasts, riding up from the lower left and going over the right. "Interesting… seems they were right. The silver is stopping you from regenerating…" he admitted, going through his left pocket for vials and flasks. "But, I think I can help here…" he said

"Thanks …" she said, blushing as he looked over her figure. She had a modest body, easily a pair of 'C' cups adorned on her chest. The soft white fur that rode up her belly was only angelic in appearance, but the gash ruined the overall peace of her figure. He knew he wouldn't be able to rest until he fixed such a problem.

He grabbed a few vials of acid, and a couple that would help encourage cellular re-growth. "Ok… now to mortals this is going to hurt like hell. I don't know about Lycanthrope thresholds of pain… or heck, really their anatomy. But let's see what happens" he said with a grin

"I trust you" she admitted, a coy smile

"Let's hope that isn't the last thing you say" he laughed as he dripped the acid onto your wound. Quickly sending his shadow tendrils to grab and restrain her limbs for her reaction.

She screamed in pain as the acid touched, and tried to flinch her body reflexively, but the shadows endured her struggle. He slowly moved the acid throughout the gash, incurring new screams and a stream of curses as the pain shot through her. "Please Alyssa, this is for your betterment, try to endure" he said calmly

"Easy for you to say!" she retorted between clenched teeth "You're not the one getting an acid bath!" she cried out

"Would it make you feel better if I told you I've had worse?" he asked

She nodded as she shook her body in pain as the acid was finishing up its job

"I've experimented on myself for so many years; I can endure most poisons… But it comes at a cost, dear. I've been through pain that sent me through hell and back. Heck, the night I died, I almost died prior to that from a poisoned sword wound. I had to use so much of this special blend that I nearly blacked out… which at that case would have caused death…" he said with a laugh

"You're laughing at death?" she marveled, as the pain seemed to subside in her

"Like I said, I've been on death's threshold so many times that such a phenomenon is nothing new to me" he remarked plainly.

"You're a mad-scientist" she remarked with praise and fear mixed in her voice

"Ok, now that the acid ate away at the silver… I'm going to apply this healing solution now. It will be a slight shot of pain, but nothing in comparison" he said as he prepared the dosage

"Ok… make it quick" she said, squeezing her eyes shut and bracing for impact

"_Cute… she is terrified of me…. I wonder why I killed their chief…"_ he thought, thinking back on the echidnas, looking out at the field and seeing the strewn corpses across the field. Their limbs and blood covering what was once a peaceful clearing. He applied the potion and she made a small moan of pain, and he then got up to look at the corpses, retracting his shadow-tendrils back to him.

He looked at the corpses, marveling how they died. "_Really… this is crude but very well done. Whoever killed these people had a finite knowledge of the anatomy of the living, and a pinpoint accuracy on what to strike" _he thought, analyzing the corpse of the man who had his organs dragged out of his gut.

He walked over to the other man, who had a strong gash across his chest. A pair a pin pricks adorned his neck, with a clear intent to drain the victim place on it. The man had a pale and ghost like appearance, as if he had been dead for months rather than minutes. "Wow… who killed this one?" he asked Alyssa

"Oh…" she said, getting up. Her chest wound slowly sealing up "That was you, as well as him, him and him" she said, gesturing to the man with a torn out gut, the one with a gash across his entire torso and the pile of what was the chief

"But how? I didn't do anything… did I?" he asked innocently

"Look… I don't know what happened, but you sort of just lost it when I got hurt… I guess. You rushed at those guys madly. You took him down with one quick swing" she said, pointing at the one who had a claw mark clear across his torso "and he shriveled over and screamed as he died" she said with a shudder at the memory

"That one" she said, pointing at the one with a gut torn out "you tackled madly and punched right through his abdomen. You then tore out those organs as he was already dying. Another horrific scream accompanied that death…" she said, still dealing with the mental picture

"As for him" she said, pointing at the one he was holding "you fought him rather fair. You let him drive his stake through you while you clawed his chest. You lived from it, and he clutched his heart and died in screaming agony… what did you do to those men?" she asked in shock

"Like I said… I know alchemy. It means both poison and potion. The extract I showed our target earlier… that is but a simple precursor to the death poison I used on these poor souls…" he said, remembering slowly how he fought them, as Alyssa jogged him memory. But he hit a part he could not remember. "Hey, after this guy I don't remember anything but… you" he said, wanting to say Sierra at first

"Oh… him" she said, pointing at the pile of flesh and blood "he got the most unfortunate demise. He brandished some supposed sword designed to kill you… something about holy symbols and water" she said, he nodded as he understood "Well… you seemed to of lost it with the stake near your heart. You tore it out and cackled madly as some crazy event happened" she said, shuddering as the memory came back

"You had your shadow come to you, and it shot up into the sky. Then the sky turned the shadow, but that wasn't it. The day got dark as the sky turned blood red. And I felt such a primal urge to kill surge through me… I felt indestructible…" she admitted, almost savoring the memory "well… then the clouds turned pitch black and some eerie fog fumed from you. You cackled madly as you grew some mad claw over your left paw, and you just vanished and impaled the poor man. But that wasn't enough for you…" she said, wanting to stop her description

"Please Alyssa… what did I do?" he asked, feeling sickened by saying that it was him

"You opened your claw inside of him, resulting in …. That" she said, gesturing to the pile of flesh and blood "you literally tore him to shreds. You then grabbed his 'holy blade' broke it with a laugh and walked over to that guy" she said, pointing at the corpse next to his feet "and drank what blood he had left…" she finished, turning away from Thoice and walking down the path

"_Just as I feared… my primal sense is far too powerful… I warned the crystal. But did he listen! Of course not!"_ he cursed in his head. He jogged to catch up with Alyssa "Do you hate me?" he asked as the two walked back

"Well… no. I'm just…. I dunno" she said, not sure what to say "I mean… part of me admires what you did. It was the perfect hunt. I could follow you to hell and back with how much you inspired me to kill… but at the same time" she said, flicking her hair around "You terrified me. I wasn't sure if I should run from you or with you…" she said, nervously looking around "Ya know?" she asked

"Unfortunately I don't. I'm sorry I put you through that" he replied "What say we finish up our little mission and head home" he said

"I'd like that a lot" she replied

The two walked back into town, nervously walked past the guards and went around town to view people. A few hours passed, and the sun was beginning to set. Thoice felt the surge of power rush to him, as the sun set and the moon took dominance in the sky. He smiled happily, having finally no need to hide from an ever-present enemy.

"Well… I don't see anyone else who matches his description" she whispered to him

"Me neither… what say we take care of business" he replied as they walked back to the alchemic shop

The entered the building casually, went behind the counter and opened the door. There was Kai-Chi, sitting there as if he was waiting for them.

"Thoice, your back. I thought for certain they would be capable of killing you" he said smugly

"You! Really, why did you want me dead?" he asked in anger

"Isn't it obvious? Not only are you a better alchemist than I'll ever be, but you're an unholy abomination. I think it's about time for the grand bear spirit to banish you to an eternity in the fires" he cursed

"I take it that is your way of saying for me to go to hell?" he replied smugly

"Exactly, I think I'll be more than enough of a challenge for you" he laughed as he grabbed a nearby vial.

"Really? You want to have a brew-off?" Thoice laughed

"Close, but no!" and with that Kai-Chi through the vial to the ground. A blinding bright light filled the room, but to Thoice, he felt the searing pain of the ultra-violet light searing against his flesh. The shadows of the room were completely eaten away by the burst, leaving him completely vulnerable to the beam. He fell to his knees gasping in pain as the light subsided

Kai-Chi laughed maniacally "I may not be able to best you in alchemy, but our ancestors brewed these years ago. We use it to create lanterns and such, but a slight modifications and 'boom', anti-vampire in a bottle" he laughed as he grabbed a few more vials

"You bastard!" Thoice cursed, the pain still reverberating through him

"I may be, I may not be. But you are soon to be dead, any last words you blasted abomination?" Kai-Chi teased

"Only three" Thoice managed to say

"Oh? And they would be? Let me guess. 'Go to hell' or something along those lines? You westerners seem to love that line far too much" Kai-Chi giggled

"Nope. 'What about her?'" Thoice coughed up, as the pain still shot through him

"Her whom?" he replied as he was tackled by Alyssa. "Oh her!" he cried out as he roared in frenzy. He threw the bottles to the ground all at once, causing the room to be blinded in holy light, and again causing Thoice to cry out in unbearable agony as he desperately tried to limp behind a desk to survive the glow

"I'll kill you for attacking my master!" Alyssa swore in primal furry, her fur having fully grown and her claws being bared with her fangs. She growled menacingly at the bear.

"Oh correct. You vampires tend to have obedient bitches to order around. No matter, I can more than handle some rabid bitch!" he roared as he grabbed a nearby vial and drunk it "FEAR ME!" he roared as his body shook with power

His muscles rippled in magnitude, and his voice deepened. His claws grew out and his eyes became narrow slits of a primal predator. He growled menacingly back at Alyssa, who held her ground and readied her assault on the large predator. "You have no chance girl! I'm more powerful than you'll ever figure!" he growled as he rushed at her

She rolled out of the way and clawed across his side. He roared in pain as he claw traveled through his flesh, but that didn't stop him. He turned to her and swung his paw at her. She was thrown across the room and smashed into a cabinet. She whimpered in pain but staggered back up and rushed back at her attacker.

"_Blasted fool, she doesn't understand the simple mechanics of fighting someone larger than you"_ he thought madly, remembering when he fought the kingpin. He tried to pull himself back up to his feet, but the pain from the bottles of solar energy still had him completely drained. "_She is going to die if I can't help her!"_ he thought with rage as he forced his body to respond to his will

Meanwhile, Alyssa was leaping at Kai-Chi, determined to kill him. He would take her small frenzy of attacks and then he would smack her away with one powerful swing of his claw. She returned each time, with a more pronounced limp and a beaten exterior. But she would not relent, as she continued to leap into her enemy, determined to kill.

Finally Thoice managed to get standing, with a massive swagger in his step as he painfully lunged in every which direction. His sense of balance still coming back to him, so he fell against the wall and tried to slowly recuperate himself, watching Alyssa continue to madly attack her target. He couldn't help but admire her determination.

Finally, Kai-Chi grew tired of this game and grabbed her with his paw. He lifted her above his head and threw her with all his force into the ground. She hit with a heavy thud, and cried out in pain as he begun to bring his giant fist down upon her. Each hit echoed throughout the room, followed by a yelp of pain. He merely laughed madly as he continued to rain down upon her.

"_I must help!"_ Thoice thought as he limped off the wall. He grabbed out into the room and found the shadows that had recovered since the light flares. They pooled to him, much like water would in a depression in the sand. He then felt the shadows revitalize him and grinned with the new energy surging through him. He sent a tendril from him right into the right pectoral muscle of Kai-Chi. He cried out in pain, and looked at Thoice with an intent to murder on his face

"So, the beaten feline is finally ready to fight, is he now?" he growled as he begun to lunge towards Thoice.

"Oh shut up" he cried out as the shadows rained down upon his attacker. Kai-Chi put up his claws and clawed away at most of the tendrils that were coming down upon him, but several made it past him and pinned him to the floor as if he were nailed to cork board.

"Oh, you think you've won have you?" the bear cackled

"No… I know" Thoice said calmly as he had a tendril slowly slither up behind him and go over him much like a scorpion's tail "When you see Satan, let him know I sent you. You might get your own personal Hell" he said coldly as the tendril drove straight through the bear's skull.

The head caved to the force, causing the organs of the head to seep out from the crushed skull. The brain leaked a little through the wound, the eyes rolled out of their sockets and he lay there limply. A smile still on the corpse, which gave Thoice some sick satisfaction. He then walked over to Alyssa, who was lying on the floor bleeding profusely.

"Geez, and here I thought you could protect me" he teased as he sent a few shadows underneath her to lift her up to him

"Oh quiet you, I'll recover in no time… can't say the same about Kai-Chi can we?" she said, a cruel smile on her bloodied face

"Sadly no. I tend to be a pacifist if given the choice… but he crossed the line a good while ago. I wish no mercy upon his immortal soul" he said in disgust to the corpse

"Seems unnaturally cruel of you" she remarked, her wounds slowly starting to close "odd… I don't tend to heal this early" she said as she looked at Thoice

"Yeah… it's me. I'm siphoning the dark energy in this room to speed up your recovery rate. And yes, I'm going to do this. Don't talk me out of it" he said plainly, carefully applying his anatomical knowledge as he repaired her wounds

"I can't win an argument with you, can I? Isn't that suppose to be my job?" she teased as her wounds closed up and her blood was slowly cleaned away.

"Atypically yes… but for your lover. I'm essentially your master and employer. Therefore, I'm right even when I'm wrong." He laughed as he finished her repairs, the surge of fatigue rushing through him "And… I think I'm done with fighting today" he said as he fell to one knee

"Damn it Thoice, stop overexerting yourself. I would have healed anyways!" she said angrily as she helped him to the wooden chair in the middle of the room so that he could sit down.

"Yeah… but I need you ready just in case we are ambushed again" he said defensively, hiding his real motive that he didn't want her to be hurt because of him

"Whatever… so when do we go home?" she asked

"It should be in a few minutes…" he replied, feeling the room slowly feel more pressured "Feel about now" he remarked

The room became dense, and hard to breathe in. Then they were yanked through the nether, feeling an inducing feeling of vertigo as they were spun through a colorful tunnel. A sensation of feelings flooded into their beings, as they were thrown onto the floor of the altar.

"Good… your back" the crystal said allowed

"Yeah… you happy? I have blood on my paws once more" Thoice remarked in disgust

"In part I am. You got to learn more about your vampirism, meet someone you once idolized and still preformed your mission and then some. You showed great courage and leadership taking care of your subordinate" the crystal remarked

"That was great and all… you know until the part where she ALMOST DIED!" he cried out in anger

"Almost and 'did' are two different states of being. She is alive, and you both have learned. I say you've learned about 'Responsibility' now" the crystal said

"That's it! You put her life in danger so that I'd learn about responsibility? What good does that do, when we put mortal lives in danger?" Thoice said angrily

"It does well for you. You must master your emotions. Maybe in time you'll be ready to transcend to a more powerful state, but as of now you're too preoccupied with mortal feelings. Remember you affect the scale of Mobius much more than anyone else. Your actions carry far more weight ultimately, thus you must be an arbiter of good rather than self reason" the gem rationalized

"Damn it! Your right, but don't think that I forgive you for endangering her" Thoice cursed, hating that he was losing an argument to a rock "Also, you had me get ambushed by some group of vampire-haters. Why didn't you warn me of them!"

"I didn't think they'd get to you so soon… but yes. There are cults out there to stop me as well as cults to stop vampires in general. You're usually all lumped in as deranged killers who work on the carnal pleasures of life… you and Sierra being exceptions to this. The general populace doesn't see that, so you two incur societies hate… But these people aimed to kill you for what you did to them and what you're going to do in your future" the gem replied

"The hell does that even mean?" Thoice asked

"It means that at some point in your future, you shall affect their past. Your life will remain hectic for some time, and for that I'm sorry. But remember, you are something Mobius needs, which required you to be in many places at many times." The gem said as it receded away

He angrily stamped the ground and took a couple of calming breaths. He then grabbed Alyssa's arm and helped her down from the altar. "Do me a favor Alyssa, go get some sleep alright?" he said, taking some of the shadows from around him to empower her

"Yeah… sure" she said distantly, as she left him "and get your energy out of me" she said playfully as she left the room

"_Well… there we go. I caused the death of five people today… but to whom was I more cruel to?_" he thought as he walked to his room. The memory of the man with a torn-out gut appeared in his head, followed by the echidna that was torn to shreds followed by Kai-Chi's corpse. "_Maybe they all died equally horrible…"_ he thought as the wall opened up to his door.

He went to his desk and quickly jotted down notes of what happened today, far too tired to actually write up a fully detailed list. He drew a picture of Kai-Chi, as to immortalize the first target in what he felt to be a long list of targets.

"Here is hoping for a better day" he said, as he drew a cross threw the drawing of Kai-Chi. He then got up and went to bed, thinking solely on the image of Sierra limping towards him and why that was what he thought of.

"Sierra… I will find you" he mumbled to himself as he slumbered

* * *

><p><strong>Clearly, the darkest chapter yet. So that is what i primal vampire is like. Gee, hope that doesn't happen more than more... *nudge, nudge*. At any rate, how did you like it? Too dark? Not dark enough? too much animal cruelty? (what are you, PETA?. Let me know either in a sweet Review, or heck hit me up on the Forum or PM it to me. Yes, my box is full of love from you guys... but i still enjoy reading it.<strong>

**Thanks to the fans, **

**-Steven 'ZiGeNaToR' Ziegler**


	8. Than

**Author's note:**

**Part 1 / 2 in this dark chapter in Thoice's life. Yes, it'll later tie into 'Mobian Adventures', but you'll have to wait till you see how. Anywhoodle, more after the story, so ...**

**-Enjoy**

* * *

><p><strong>Than<strong>

He awoke to a faded room, the shades of white & black standing out incredibly more so than usual. "Odd…" he exclaimed as he rubbed his eyes from waking up "I had the most restless nap…" he remarked, crawling out of bed with a certain laziness to his stride. The colors, however, refused to return.

He walked over to the bookcase and looked the covers of the texts, desperately trying to identify a color other than black or white. Alas, to no avail and he cursed slightly as he walked over to the desk. There, as an unrolled piece of parchment on the desk, was a list of events carefully catalogued. He recognized that the words were written by him, as well as the drawing of some large bear with a fractured skull. "Oh right…" he remarked sadly as the drawing brought back the memory of Kai-Chi "I've become a killer once more…" he said as he walked over to the closet.

Having never looked in it before, he was curious what clothing choices presented themselves. All that was in there were clothes hangers, lacking any such garments suspended to such. "_No surprise"_ he thought as he turned to leave the room.

"There you are!" an angry wolf exclaimed as he walked over to Thoice, his shoulders tensed and his eyes seemed to savor the thoughts of violence "What did you do to Alyssa damn it!" he cursed his colors not distinguishing from black nor white

"I can assure you Richard; I did no such violence to here. She decided to over-exert herself in a desperate attempt to protect me. I attended to her wounds, and she is recovering, is she not?" Thoice replied calmly, as he felt the shadows slowly move around the room as if they were headless tendrils searching blindly for something he knew not.

"Still, you're not suppose to let her get hurt damn it! Your THOICE, the protector of the innocent damn it!" he said, invoking his name as if he were a god

"I may, in fact, be Thoice… but that doesn't excuse me from the laws of this world. People get hurt Richard, I thought you were mature enough to understand such a cycle" he replied coldly, too tired to baby the wolf's ego

"Argh!" he said as he rushed over to punch Thoice. The shadows sprung up from the floor and created a wall between them, causing Richard's fist to crash into a solid wall of pure shadow. "Oh sure, cheat why don't you? Why won't you fight me like a normal person!" he cried out in anger

"Is that supposed to be a joke Richard? You are a lycanthrope; you hardly qualify as 'normal'. I am sorry for Alyssa's condition, truly I am. But fighting me won't cure anything. Go make yourself useful and attend to her" he dismissed as the shadows retracted back to him, hiding within his coat.

He stormed off in pure anger, cursing rapidly under his breath as he made it to the door and down the stairwell where Thoice assumed Alyssa still was. "_I sure hope she is recovering… she didn't even wait for the silver to be fully extracted from her being"_ he thought as he walked over to the crystal

"Dear child, what disrupts you?" the gem asked as he approached the ghastly white crystal, mimicking his color once more

"I can't see colors right now… everything appears in shades of white or black… yet I don't crave…" he said carefully "furthermore, I feel a certain reign of apathy over me"

"It is simply your body spending your 'resources' on recovery right now... think of it as if your currently in a 'dead cycle' as your race calls it… In time, after you drink again, the colors will return along with your sentiment and other 'human' emotions. Your alternative is to wait for your body to slowly recuperate, which could easily stretch into months, especially due to the extremes you put yourself through…. Anything else bothering you?" the gem asked

"Is Alyssa going to recover?" he couldn't help but ask, contemplating taking a drink to soothe his madness

"Naturally, dear Richard is just far too protective over her. He treats her as he would a sister, thus her pain is magnified into his anger. Give it time, he is still maturing" the gem chided.

"Sounds about right, poor lad. So, what of the fabled Grizzly Clan?" Thoice asked

"Alive and flourishing. All thanks to you. Kai-Chi's death spurred a retaliation of conspiracy and confusion for a few years, resulting in murders and chaos. But the ultimate success was that they were far too busy with domestic dispute to join in the grand war of the northern tribes, thus sparing them from the annihilation of the clans. Now they flourish as a peaceful society, but be warned as the stories of you have been passed down in less than an appealing light" the gem stated "They strongly dislike you, and fear your presence in the world… chances are you've made new enemies with those you've saved" the gem stated

"Wonderful. So the more people I save, the more I get people determined to kill me?" Thoice said aloud, unable to figure where he went wrong in his life

"In this fluke instance, correct. But don't worry, the hate they have of you is what bound them together. A common enemy is how they flourished, so take solace there" the gem responded

"I guess… it's just weird to learn that an entire society hates you based on something you did eons ago to save them" he remarked

"It was roughly nine-hundred years ago, and you saved them. If all else fails, at least take pleasure in prolonging a vital race that shall help in the freedom of Mobius" the gem stated cryptically

"Freedom? Explain, for I sense no oppression upon us" he replied, looking at the gem with skeptic eyes

"Perhaps later I shall divulge such upon you, but for now you have another mission. In contrast to this one, you must protect a vital person of history. His death signifies the growth in anarchy and chaos, but his proper death shall signify him as a martyr for all. You must protect him from assassins so that he may spread his words of peace" the gem said

"So… let me get this straight. He is destined to die, yet I must protect him?" Thoice said in disbelief

"Yes, my brother, the Master Emerald houses the being Chaos, and he wants to cause disarray, and is bent on sending this world into a frenzy unlike it has ever been. Your job is to prevent him from causing chaos in the past, and he plans to kill a man destined to do much good in the world" the crystal said

"Oh? Can he send travelers through time as well?" he asked

"No, he is acting in what is the present to him. His conscious is overlapped by all of time, thus causing his actions to be slow. But they are masterfully planned, I hope to use you as an unpredictable wild card and interrupt his plans for chaos" the crystal stated

"I see… well when do I go back? And do you wish for me to have assistance?" he asked

"Yes, I shall be throwing you back into time, say about two-hundred years ago. And Alyssa is coming with you. AND BEFORE you argue with me, listen to my reason" the gem said, cutting off Thoice from retaliation "She needs this. She wants to prove to you that she is 'dead-weight' as the failure of her mission to protect you is still evident. On top of that, she needs to learn the true cycle of the world, and spending time with you is the fastest way to be iodized to the cruelty of this world, since your life is far from a fairy tale" the gem stated, admitting the obvious

"Your telling me, I have; no princess, no kingdom, no happy-ending and lose that would make lesser people break. I fail to realize why I continue to continue at times" he replied coldly "But I wish to detest about her coming with me. What she will have to endure again… I would much rather her be safe here, allowed to recuperate" he said, fighting past his apathetic senses of superiority brought on over by his 'blood loss'.

"I argue against this. She not only wants to assist you again, for her own plethora of reasons but it is also explicitly stated in her fate. She is destined to be your guardian, thus she must be there in your successes as well as your falls. It is a sad existence for her, but hopefully she learns to make the best of it" the crystal said as the voice left the room, leaving a ghastly white gem idly floating in an altar

"_Cripes, now I have to get Alyssa and protect some man from another force that wishes anarchy"_ he thought with a grin "_At least my life isn't boring"_

He left the room, passing two incredibly large and over-bearing wooden doors as he looked at the stairwell spanning down several floors to the base level. "_Again, Thoice puts his being to the test…"_ he thought as he looked down at the drop. He estimated a good five-hundred meters, possibly more. He smiled foolishly and stepped off the edge, dropping to the floor at an accelerating rate as he dove into the fall to accelerate.

"_Time for the magic"_ he grinned as he felt the shadows of the room rush to him, empowering him in ways he would never truly be able to describe to another living being. The energy finally reached its peak as he was closing into the final feet to the floor, his life rapidly flashing before his eyes in high speed.

**HELP!**

Thoice was walking down the street, with Sierra holding his hand. They had just come from the local bar where they talked mindlessly and talked about the up-and-coming election where Sammy was going to attempt to install a democracy.

"What was that noise?" Sierra asked, her eyes dilating in shock as she looked madly around for the source of the sound, her ears pivoting to locate

Thoice needed no second guess, he threw his coat to Sierra and said "Here, hold this" as he rushed down the street to a nearby alley.

In the alley was a teenage girl, easily between the ages of fourteen to sixteen. She was a delicate looking hedgehog, with the lightest shade of blue fur on her. The moon's light reflected the colors of her fur to give an almost iridescent glow of a ghost from her, but that wasn't helping her case. Four burly wolfs had her pinned in the alley, pushing her around and saying sexually suggestive things towards her.

"Well if you're going to be that way, fine. I guess since you won't comply, we will just have to force you" one of them said as he grinned. One of his friends grabbed the girl's arms, and another started to remove her clothes. She screamed in protest, only to have a hand quickly placed over her mouth and a knife across her neck. Her eyes were terrified by what was about to happen when she made eye contact with Thoice, standing there at the entrance to the alleyway. Her eyes seemed to beg him to help

He needed no other reason, he rushed into the alley. He tackled one of the guys in the alley, threw his head against the concrete wall and threw all his force into a punch aimed directly at the weak base of the skull, causing the hooligan's skull to fracture on impact and the now-corpse to drop to the floor.

His friends, seeing the quick removal of one of their comrades threw the girl to the ground and took out weapons. They all had a dagger in their hand a small pistol in their other, and they grinned madly as they begun to squeeze rounds off at Thoice.

He flinched as each bullet tore through him, but he continued to rush the attackers, carefully rolling his movements so that the bullets wouldn't pass through vital organs. He got close to one of them, and quickly kicked the gun out of his hand. The man retaliated by bringing his dagger down on Thoice, who threw his shoulder into the way, forcing the blade to be stuck in his bone. The man realized his was now weaponless as Thoice quickly slashed the man's throat with a speedy swing of his extended claw. Blood drenched his left paw, as it was the claw brought across the man's trachea. He limped over, gurgling his final curse upon Thoice as he died.

He quickly lifted the corpse in front of him to absorb the incoming bullets as he rushed the remaining two. He threw the body to the one on the left, who got hit and fell to the ground dropping his gun. The one to the right got to be engaged by Thoice, realizing this was the circumstance of the fight he dropped the gun and held his dagger with both hands intent on cutting Thoice down. Thoice merely grinned madly as he tore the blade buried into his bone and threw it at the man, who reacted too slowly to block the incoming projectile as it buried into his chest. The man screamed in pain and swung madly at Thoice, who dodged with a sadistic grin as he grabbed the back of the man's head and threw him full force into his knee. The man's skull broke with the impact, but that wasn't enough to satisfy Thoice. He threw the man to the wall, blood pouring from his broken nose and begun to claw away at him. Carefully aiming for vital organs, arteries and anything that would hurt like hell. After what seemed like an eternity of pain, the man finally passed out from the pain and subsequently died as he limped over to his side.

The last man finally got the corpse off of him and started to run away, for he was terrified of Thoice at this point. He anticipated that and took a dagger lying on the floor of the alley and threw it true. The blade found itself in the back of the retreating man's skull, and he flipped forward and lay dead on the pavement.

Thoice then limped over to the girl, who was sitting there crying in utter shock from the attempted rape she was put through and the deaths she just watched. She recoiled in fear from seeing Thoice.

"I mean you no harm miss; I wish only to check to make sure you're alright. I'm a doctor if that helps to calm you" he stated as calmly as possible, despite the pain echoing through him and the massive amount of blood lose he was going through.

"Yes…. I'm …. Alright" she said in a shaky voice, looking over him "But you look on the verge of death" she said, getting up to help him stand

"It's quite alright. I've had worse. I just couldn't stand by and let such an innocent woman face such a horrific experience" he said, swaying in his step as she caught his fall "Thanks"

"No, thank you. Without your interference…" she said, trailing off as the memory was still fresh in her mind

"Don't think about it. Please, head home and get some rest. You've had a rough night. Don't worry about me" he said, removing himself from her support and leaning against the nearby wall "I'll be just fine" he laughed

"If you say so, are you sure I can't be of any help? I can't repay you for your kindness…" she said, almost saddened by that fact

"Your smile is worth it for me. Now please, enjoy your life." He said, Sierra walked into the alleyway and saw Thoice's mangled body and the blood trailing from him and onto the wall. Her eyes shot up in anger as she rushed over to him

"What happened!" she yelled in anger, directing her anger right at Thoice, forgetting there was anyone else there.

"Oh… well I'll go now" the girl said as she had no desire to be a part of this conversation. "Again, a thousand thanks mister" she said with a bow as she left

"Did you recklessly waste your life to save one damn girl!" Sierra said in anger, her body shaking in anger as she wanted to hit Thoice for his actions

"I see it as I've made an investment for the future… with her new found pleasure in life, she should try to turn the future better." He coughed up, blood forming in his mouth "Now, if you don't mind, I think we were heading homeward" he chuckled

"You idiot! One of these days I won't be around, and you'll end up killing yourself to save some pipsqueak's life" she chided him as she helped him walk back to his cottage outside of town

"Like I said awhile ago dear, if there are innocent lives to save, I'll do whatever I can to help. My life isn't worth much, but they have chance to do something great" he said, a tear rolling down his eye "I've done so many bad things Sierra…" he said with a heavy voice

"Hush, hush Thoice. I know, but you have the potential to do so much good" she said calmingly "all you need is to wait for the right time, and hopefully don't get yourself killed saving someone's life" she said

"I know… but I can't help it. I've been in their shoes before Sierra… to be helpless in the cruelity of life. I promised myself as a kid that I'd spend my life trying to prevent anyone else from going through the same fate I have" he said, tears mixing in with his blood as his sad memories flourished in his mind

"It's alright, you have me… you'll always have me" she said with a smile as his cottage showed up over the horizon

"Thanks for the help getting here, and your kind words Sierra… but can you do me a favor?" he asked, his voice heavy with emotion

"Anything dear" she said happily

"Leave." He said, then interrupting her response "I have to operate on myself, and I'm going to go through hell with this much pain. It'd mean the world to me if you didn't have to be there to watch" he said plainly

"I know I can't argue with you, otherwise you'll probably poison me again" she said with a laugh, as it had become a joke between them "So I'll let you have your alone time but I AM coming back over tomorrow, whether or not you want me to." She said stubbornly

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Now if you'd excuse me, I have to enjoy the pleasure of purgatory once more" he said with black humor as he opened his door "If I die tonight, I just want you to know you were an invaluable person in my life" he replied simply as he looked back at her in his door's frame

"I know. And I couldn't dream up a better person to have met, other than you" she said with a smile as she walked back to town. The moon's light glowing off her hair, almost crying for her. He remembered how sad he felt, having to send her away at such a vital point in his life… but he couldn't bear her to see just how much pain he was about to go through

He walked down to his laboratory, where he grabbed a few tools-of-the-trade, as they were. A scalpel was his best friend tonight, as well as a pair of tweezers. He lay down on the operating table, and grabbed a cigarette.

"I sure hope this raises my dopamine levels high enough to block out some of the pain…" he said sadly, as he lit a cigarette and took a quick smoke. Naturally he coughed up blood afterwards, since he hated smoking. But the pain slowly subsided, so he suffered three more long drags and extinguished the specially-made cigarette. "I swear I'll eventually kill myself from one of my own experiments" he said with a laugh

He then cut open his body with the scalpel, feeling the pain shoot through him as unnaturally as possible. He clenched his teeth in pain, and felt the warm blood trickle onto his skin

**Fwoosh**

He landed on the floor of the room, his feet right on the floor. The shadows have been placed heavily around his feet, fully cushioning the landing. "Gee, that surprised me too, didn't think I was going to make it" he said with a laugh

"You fucking idiot!" Richard said, waling over to him "You basically killed yourself, and for what? A simple experiment! Stop being such a fucking idiot with your life!" he said angrily

"Yeah, really Thoice, practice some forethought for once" Octavius said calmly from the couch

"Well sorry Octavius" he replied, ignoring Richard's anger "But I needed to run some tests. What if my only chance to try it out was in the heat of battle? Better to face consequences here in a controlled environment rather in something like a warzone" Thoice reasoned

"True… but still. Read a book or two. Your abilities, for the most part, are fully explained in the written word rather than in suicidal tests" he replied

"I'll take that to heart Octavius" Thoice replied a bow to the bear "Have you by chance seen Alyssa? I'm suppose to meet with her" he continued to say

"She is in her room" the bear replied, pointing to a nearby door "But I believe she is currently asleep… you can check otherwise" he finished, going back to his book

"Again, thank you" Thoice replied, as he walked over to the door

"Hey, douche bag!" Richard said, getting in his way "Who said you can even go near that door!" he asked

"Technically no one, but I'm sure she doesn't mind a visitor" he replied calmly as ever

"Well she doesn't want to see your ugly ass face" Richard said plainly "And I'm here to make sure you don't" he said, baring his claws

"If you really want to fight me, I'll oblige" Thoice replied, almost on the verge of teaching this wolf his place "But I detest violence, and would rather you just grow up and let me visit her"

"I'll show you grown up!" the wolf cried out, swinging madly at Thoice. Each claw swipe bounced harmlessly off of the shadows that encased his skin, creating the eerie sparks of night around Thoice that only helped in making him hungry. "Stop fucking blocking!" the wolf cried in anger, swinging more madly and with more power behind his hits

"Richard, seriously. Grow up" Thoice replied, a tinge of anger reaching his voice

"Why won't you just fight me like a normal person!" he cried out in anger

"Because why?" Thoice replied, which cause Richard to stop to think "Why fight to begin with? We are all on the same team here; I see no reason to fight you anymore than for you to fight Alyssa. Now please, let me pass" he said calmly

"I'm going for a damn walk!" the wolf said defiantly, and stormed out of the cave

"Is he… you know… always like that?" he asked Octavius

"More or less. I always say 'at least he isn't boring', but even that is starting to wear its self out" the bear lazily replied from behind a book

"Well, alright then. Now to go communicate with dear Alyssa" he said, as he entered her room

She sat there, on the edge of the bed, almost as if she was waiting for him. "Aw, Thoice! You showed up, I was wondering when Richard would let you pass" she said, as she skipped up to give him a hug

"Yeah, well I don't think me an dear Richard are friends quite yet" he replied, lazily returning her hug, his thirst growing immensely from her fragrance "Are you wearing some perfume?" he asked casually

"Naw, I'm 'all-natural', don't you know?" she said with a giggle "Why do you ask?" she replied

"Oh nothing, you just smell… different?" he said, not wanting to worry her, as he quickly thought back to how delicious she was to drink. He then mentally chastised himself for thinking of such "You ready for another mission?" he asked calmly

"Born ready sir, when do we leave?" she asked

"In five seconds" he replied, already seeing the room fade away into white

The two were quickly pulled through time, having the same weightless feeling as last time. Thoice's stomach lurched with the fluxes of the time wave, at the same time he only felt himself getting thirstier looking at Sierra. "_Maybe I could brew her a poultice that would help her to regenerate her hemoglobin back faster, then put her on an all-red meat diet…."_ He thought, thinking of how he could get her to grow blood back faster

The two stumbled from the time-rift, into what appeared to be an industrial city. "Must be … the late 1700's" he said, looking around and noticing a significant amount of tech in contrast to the last time period they were in.

"So the crystal never just says when we are?" she asked

"Nope, but I guess it is more fun this way" he said with a smile "Let us go find our target" he said, grabbing her hand and leading her through town

"My, Romeo, make me blush why don't you" she giggled

"Remember, we have to keep up an identity in the past. The easiest one for us to use is a couple on travel. It isn't too weird and very simple to fake" he replied calmly, remembering the missions he used to run with Sierra and how they used to make this role all the time

"Whatever excuse you need to hold my hand" she smiled "So what does our 'mark' look like?"

"He is a large red husky, or a dog for you to know" he said with a grin to her ignorance

"I knew that, gosh! I happen to love dogs" she said with a giggle

"Yes, well asides from that, he is roughly twenty-something or another and a monk by profession" he said

"How do you know all that?" she asked

"Because of his name" Thoice replied "This man happens to play a pivotal role in the future, and thus leaves his legacy in the past. I'm surprised you haven't heard of him"

"Well, I may of. What is his name?" she asked, keeping up with Thoice's brisk pace through the sun's relentless gaze

"Why, it is the holy sage, Salv'ir." Thoice said with a grin

"NO WAY!" she said with her eyes open and a jump in her step "we are back in time to protect the sage?" she said with a squeal in her voice

"I'm going to regret this, but yes. This man happens to be currently endangered though, since he has a gang of hit men after him" he replied, finally finding shade under a market's umbrella.

"So, is this sunlight going to stop you from helping?" she asked

"Sort of, kind of" he laughed "I just need to grab some shadows and I'll be good" he said

"Still seems weird you can just do that…" she replied "What's it feel like to have shadows around you?"

"You ever wear an incredibly thick wool sweater?" he asked

"Yeah, once when I was a kid. It was so warm and fluffy!" she said with a laugh

"Yeah, well this is nothing like it. It feels almost cold and unforgiving. Like the shadows themselves have a degree of malice within themselves. But as long as I can use them to take the brunt of the sun's light, I'll do good." He said

"Ok, oh you mind if I pointlessly window shop to kill some time?" she asked

"Go for it, I'll stay at this table till I see our friend" he resigned, taking a seat and watching the crowd of black and white people walk through the colorless city

"Yay! Be back in a bit" she said as she skipped off into the crowd

Thoice took out a small notebook that he decided to bring on this adventure and opened up to a page. There he wrote;

'Alyssa seems to be far too easily distracted. Maybe I can help to curve that habit of hers; else she will never pass into the ranks of 'bodyguard'. Still, it seems cruel that she has her life predetermined by some benign crystal… but I can't argue with the logic behind it. If I must be a protector of time, then having a lycanthrope to be my bodyguard makes just as much sense'

"Why hello stranger, is this seat taken?" asked a lightly white-shaded husky

"_Damn color blindness"_ he cursed in his mind as he said "No, please, have a seat kind sir"

"Why thank you, I've had the longest travel can't you tell?" the man laughed "So, your one of the few literates in this world, are ya?" the man asked

"_Damn! I forgot that literacy was uncommon in this time period"_ he cursed in his head, already knowing he probably blew his cover "Why yes, I am. I happen to just be a scholar, writing his thoughts down this fair day" he said, tucking the notebook and pen away

"Curious times we live in, don't you agree?" the man asked, taking out a pipe and preparing to smoke it "We live in a time of uncertainty… and here I am, having a smoke with someone that possesses one of the most evil pasts I've ever felt"

"_He can sense that?"_ Thoice panged with fear "Whatever do you mean? I am a simple alchemist, double-checking his latest recipe. How could I ever do wrong?" he asked, defensively yet calm

"You don't have to lie to me. I can't tell what you did in the past, for the shadows almost seem to cloud that from me… but I am certain you've lived a sinful past" the man said, taking his first puff of smoke

"True… I have. I cannot lie there. But I can assure you I never wanted to be a part of it… ever" Thoice calmly said, placing his hands on the table in an interlocked fashion so that he could think more clear "I was … 'conscripted' as it were to do the evil I did. I would of committed suicide years ago to cleanse this sin… if the act of suicide wasn't already a sin" he said with black humor

"And yet you are so well learned and versed in the holy word… what pray tell, are you?" the man asked

"Honestly… I don't know anymore" he replied "I thought I was just a simple alchemist… but fate had other plans for me… and the holy father abandoned me to the devices of cruel fate" he said sickly

"But my son, the holy father never truly abandons us" he said, reaching out to hold his hand in a kind gesture, when the shadows blocked his hand from touching "But… I can see your point" he said, as he brought his hand back

"I mean no disrespect sir, but may you keep your voice quiet about my current 'ailment', as it were. People have the most innate sense of learning things they shouldn't" he replied calmly

"Your secret is safe with me" the man laughed as he took another smoke "I was just taking a sit, for I have a long journey of enlightenment ahead of me" the man said

"I see, would it be too much of me to ask if I could come along with you? My soul could use a fair amount of enlightenment, for I feel only the black remorse of the devil brewing inside of me" he said earnestly

"Purifying you would be a feat all its own… but I am on a journey of self-discovery…." The man started to say

"You're also in mortal peril and I'm here to help. You can disbelieve me however and whenever you want, but that doesn't disprove my claim. Now do you want to risk your life now, or will you allow me to be an escort for you?" Thoice asked

"Bold statement, from such a young mind" the man smoked "and if I refuse your offer?" the man asked

"Then you are more of a fool than you claim I am. I am roughly nine-hundred years old, and I am valedictorian of the most prestigious school of Mobius. I think I know what I say, and what I mean. Now I'll ask you once more, do you wish to live past your pitiful life expectancy?" he asked again, an agitation rising because of this man's calm disposition

"But how would you even know my life is endangered?" the man asked, wide eyed and worried "Is it really that obvious?" he asked

"More than you know. Now who is after you, and where are you really heading" Thoice asked, mindlessly looking around for strangers "_I sure hope Alyssa shows up soon, she is about to miss out"_ he thought

"I'm being chased by the Chaos Clan, and they sent highly trained monks after me… the irony is almost too much to bare" he laughed nervously "As for where I'm heading, there is a wonderful sanctuary north-west of here. I wish to head there and spread enlightenment" he finished, taking another smoke

"Fine, me and my assistant will see to your safety. Now please, we have to start heading out. They could be here at any time, and it'd be more beneficial to have to fight them outside of civilization" he said, not wanting the world to know what he had become

"Fair enough, but don't you want to get your 'associate'?" he asked, putting out his pipe and hiding it back in his pocket

"Usually I would, but she'll be able to track me. Besides, she could use the life-experience. I'm training her to the cruel fate that nature bestows upon all of us. I know it is a cruel lesson to learn, but she has been sheltered from the hardships of life for so long" he said, sadness in his apathetic voice.

"I don't wish to be in your place. Teaching someone just how the world works is the cruelest experience of their life… and only more painful for the teacher. I wonder just how dark your past truly is…" the man pondered aloud

"More than I dare to admit, now let's get going." He said, quickly shielding himself from the sun's rays as the two quickly walked out of the city "_I sure hope this is the red husky I was looking for"_ he thought, hating how the world was black & white still

They quickly got out of the city, and Thoice looked back to see if they were followed. Thankfully, nothing seemed as such, so he sighed then remembered his shadows were being eaten away from the sun's relentless gaze "Quick, lets head to the nearby forest for cover" he said, as he and the stranger walked to the tree line. The shadows of the trees revitalized his body, giving him a fresh breath of air

"Wow, you look winded there partner" the stranger noted

"I don't do to well in sunlight… I have a certain condition that has a certain predisposition to the sun" he said sarcastically

"I can tell… must be tragic" the man agreed "so do you want to wait for your friend, or continue?" he asked

"I like how you haven't questioned my motives…" Thoice said "Maybe I'm one of the assassins that just wanted to lure you out of town to kill you" he said plainly

"Maybe you were, but I trust you. I know it's odd, but even though I sense your evil past… I also sense something telling me to trust you. I don't know if it'll be my downfall or not, but I trust it enough to trust you. So lead the way… Friend" the man said, putting his hand out to shake Thoice's hand

He looked at the hand and felt the oddest sensation "_I haven't shaken anyone's hand in … I don't even know when the last time was…"_ he realized. He reached out to shake his hand, when the man quickly manipulated his hand around his wrist and grabbed him.

"There we go, now let's have a talk buddy" the man said, satisfied with his superior grasp

"I'll warn you once, desist your action or I will have to disable you from this path of aggression" Thoice warned, his shadows surging around him

"You don't fool me. I have complete control here. You try anything, and I'll break your wrist in one easy move" he threatened back

"Been there, done that. I can't tell you how many times I've broken a bone, or bleed an excessive amount. I'm one who frequently tests the limits of the body, and the risk is personal injury. I can tell you I've knocked on the door to hell more times than I dare to remember" he replied calm as ever as he swiftly snuck his left paw into his poison pocket

"Let's test the theory" the man smirked, and quickly broke Thoice's wrist in his hand. He clenched his teeth in pain, and the arm limply fell to a useless position "Now, you are in no position to overpower me" he said plainly

"To the most typical of fighter, you'd be right. Sadly for you, I fight left handed. So this right hand was a handy distraction" Thoice replied with a grin at his own play on words

"Why you…" the man begun, as Thoice quickly slipped his poison dipped left claw across the man's leg. "That's all you've got? A simple scratch? My dear friend, I have you bested in so many ways" the stranger replied with a laugh

"Give the effects a second" he replied, grabbing his right hand and popping it back into place, despite the pain "And gee, I seem to be doing just fine" he mocked, moving his right hand around as though it was nothing

"So what? I can … do …. Worse" the man replied, slumping into a tree "What … me …. Did… to?" he slurred

"A simple numbing toxin. I'll be able to easily transport you now, without your incessant need to fight me. I tried to tell you earlier that I'm on your side here, but you're being impossible. So now I have to take matters into my own hands… yet again" Thoice digressed, saddened by the series of events now

"I … never …." The man tried to say, as he passed out

"_He's kind of a light weight, isn't he"_ Thoice thought as he bent over to slump the man over his back. The man quickly shot awake, and swung his legs under Thoice, having him fall to the floor, as he jumped back up and pulled a dagger from nowhere.

"Really, you thought a small dose of poison would stop me? I've been training with worse sense I was but a kid" the man said smugly

"Well played, I just wanted to enact no permanent effects upon you… but if you really insist on continuing this fight, I guess I could always knock you out the old-fashioned way" Thoice said calmly as the dagger was aimed right at him

"Why don't' you fear death, ever?" the stranger asked

"I told you, I've been to hell and back enough times, I'm kind of just numb to the whole experience" he replied

"Well, let's see you perform the miracle one more time" the stranger said, as he through the dagger at Thoice. It bounced right off his skull and landed uselessly next to him. Then he slowly got back up, and stood there looking at his attacker "the hell, you should of died from that!" the man claimed

"I should of, I agree. And sometimes I wish I could… but sadly I have a job to do… which involves protecting you. Now won't you please let me, or do I really have to knock you out to accomplish my goal?" Thoice said lazily

"I sense we would only fight the same battle that the sun and moon do daily, so I submit. You may escort me to my destination, but then I wish for you to take your leave. Can I have that?" he asked

"I promise upon the holy body of the savior, you will never see me again. I only wish to see you live long enough to succeed in your glorious future" he replied calmly

"My glorious future, surely you have me confused for another. I am but a simple traveling monk, Salv'ir is my name. And before I dare continue this journey with you, may I know your name?" the monk asked

"I don't see why not, but remember, with names comes great power. You may be better off not knowing who I am" Thoice replied, remembering how his name seems to be bouncing around throughout time… and not in a good way

"I insist. It is only polite to know the name of someone you travel with" he replied calmly

"Fair enough, all you need to know it Thoice…" he answered, shifting his eyes from the husky back to the city "_Hurry up Alyssa"_ he thought

"Wait… Thoice… as in the blessed alchemist?" he asked

"The one and the same. And trust me, I do not revel in my name" Thoice replied coldly

"But you were once revered for your deeds, and cursed for your others. But everyone agrees, your life is a cursed one, blotted with only sadness and despair for yourself" the monk stated

"You'd be right. I was happy once…" he replied, thoughts darting straight to Sierra "But… even then, Fate refused to grant me blessed peace from the chaos of my life. Even now, centuries after I 'died', I'm still cursed to walk the mortal plane and direct certain events into more favorable light. I only tell you this, to stress the importance of you trusting me allowing me to protect you" he said, lazily grooming his head with his paw

"I … wouldn't even know where to begin with disproving you…" the man replied "If you are indeed whom you say, I could test your knowledge, but all I know of you is what was written… so you could just as easily have access to that. You however, have the advantage of matching his description down to a wire, so either you have put a lot in work in your façade… or you are genuine. I prefer to believe the later" he finished

"Good, now let us go. Like I stated earlier, my assistant will catch up to us… else she fails her assignment. We need to make haste, regardless of waiting until nightfall" Thoice claimed, looking up at the noonday sun with detest "I will just have to endure extra suffering for your wellbeing."

"I am blessed for such companionship." The man said with a bow "Now, follow me for I shall lead" and with that, the two dashed through the thicket of the forest and made haste down a dirt trail

They jogged for minutes, which became hours as the sun slowly begun to shift over the sky. The rarely stopped, just enough to either relieve themselves or to take a light breather. Thankfully, they planned well ahead and kept a brisk jog, so their stamina was more than resilient, than their pursuers would have been. Or so they had hoped

"Halt sage of the south wind" a masked attacker said, from up in a tree in front of their path

"Blast! What do you want Chaos Clan!" Salv'ir exclaimed in anger

"Why, your corpse to deliver to our master… but seeing how you're working with a child of time… we must kill him too" the assailant said, as he leapt down from his tree branch. Upon landing, four other masked men appeared with him. They all had round builds, with black and white fur… or so all Thoice could see. But telling their stature, with their physical build and claws, he was able to determine what they were

"I see, so the Chaos has enlisted the help of pandas, eh? Which art do you specialize in, oh noble fighters of the east?" Thoice jested, already dipping his left paw in for combat

"Why, the art of chaos alone. We know what you are, being of shadow. We also know we can't persuade you to give us the man, on account of your duty to protect him as well as your own moral compass. So, to spare you the death of your target, we shall kill you first" the lead panda said with a grin, as his men fired some large device at Salv'ir

The device launched a ball-shaped projectile, which opened in mid-air, exposing a large net. The net then grabbed Salv'ir and held him fast to a tree.

"Blast! This is less than honorable!" the man cried out

"So it is, but we know how you fight and more importantly, you win ratio. We aren't stupid enough to fight you and the 'legendary Thoice' at once" the man stated

"_So they do know who I am… perfect…"_ he thought sadly "Well, if you know who I am, and the atrocities I've committed in my 'life', what makes you think you have any better chance fighting me now?" he asked

"We don't… what part of chaos eluded you? We fight you, because you are representing order. We may all die to your poison drenched left paw… or we may defeat a man of legend. All we care about is preserving the chaos in the world, and you're inhibiting us from spreading more. You may pray to the god of your choice, for we strike!" the man claimed, as the men to his most right and most left rushed forward to engage Thoice

The man to his left swung some sort of long barbed blade at him, to which he simply rolled out of the way and pushed the other assailant into him. The second fighter recovered himself and took out some type of spiked gloves to engage Thoice with. The man punched madly at him, hoping to hit some vital spot. Thoice dodged madly, trying to find an opening to poison

The man gave no such opening, and his compatriot worked his way around to pin Thoice between them. He realized he will have to be risky. He rushed into the man behind him, having the man's sword drive through his chest but leaving him open to the poison. Thoice tore a large gash across the man's chest, and followed it up with three more quick swipes across the torso. The man cried in pain and fell back with his chest bubbling in acid.

Thoice then grabbed the blade dug into his chest and ripped it out, tearing chunks of flesh with it for the blade was barbed. He then used it to block and disable the man's gloved hands, so that he could apply one quick swipe of poison across the man's chest and left leg. The man pushed away, far too late. His leg broke and caused him to fall hopelessly to the ground, where he screamed in pain until he abruptly ended in a gurgled scream.

"So you are skilled, and risky … I see. Well let's see if you can survive round two" the lead man stated, as his remaining two men rushed at Thoice. The man to the left lit his gloves aglow and the fire roared madly at Thoice. The opposing man took out a pair of curved blades, dripping with what appeared to be some horribly dark toxin.

"_Well… let's see. I have an immunity, or at least resistance to most poison… so I'm taking my chances there. Fire man however… I'll need to carefully plan my attacks on… being a vampire and all"_ he cursed lightly, still hating how the black and white view of his world made it impossible for him to discern what color the poison dripping on the blade could be

The man with the poison blades rushed at Thoice, madly bringing the blades down upon him. He lazily avoided what he could; trying to figure what type of poison it was by how the liquid reacted with the air current. He figured it had to be some type of cell-degeneration type, which was really ineffective for it needed a long time to do an effective job. "_Guess we test the hypothesis now"_ he thought cruelly

He jumped forward, through his right arm into the way of the blades having them dig deep into the bone, and then he lurched his left paw and pawed the man right through the chest, leaving five claw deep indents in his chest, giving the poison a direct entrance. The poison seeped through his right arm, and pain shot through him. "_I was horribly wrong! This isn't poison!"_ he thought with a tear of pain as he tore the blades out of his arm and through them away.

His flesh steamed with unnatural fire, and the wound festered and looked un-healable. "You like our blades dipped in holy water? I had a feeling that would cause some pain" the lead panda said with a sinister grin

"Shut it, I'm testing my hypothesis out" Thoice replied with a smirk as he used his right arm to start combat with the last man. The man would parry with his flame drenched gauntlets, lighting Thoice's right arm on fire, and sending unnatural pain through him. He clenched his teeth in unnatural focus and took the pain as a badge of survival and used it to fuel his fight.

He eventually managed to push the man into an opening, where a swift cut with the left paw disabled the man's legs. He simply fell over and took some type of pill that caused him to foam at the mouth and lie there uselessly. "_They poison themselves? My what a time period I'm in"_ he thought

"So… you killed four of my best men… well done Thoice… well done" the panda said sarcastically as he slowly clapped his hands "But, your right arm is more than destroyed isn't it? And you are in no condition to fight are you?" he asked, knowing the answer

"_Christ, he is right… I do not have the energy to dare fight any further… regardless of my super natural abilities. I'm still seeing in black and white… my energy is faltering… and I can't even begin to describe just how much pain I'm in"_ he thought, looking lazily up at the panda "I … I can take you if I must" he stated

"We both know you can't, but let's weigh the dice in my favor, what say you?" he laughed, as he threw a couple of small knifes up into the tree line. A serious of small explosions went off in the tree line, and the coverage of branches fell. The sun peered past the limbs and beat down right on Thoice, tearing away at him with un-relentless force.

His shadows leapt to protect him, only to be eaten away by the sun before they even could reach him. He stood there, taking the unnatural pain and only smirked with an insane smile on his face "So you know eh? Or more accurately, Chaos knows? Well… let's see if he armed your properly, shall we?" he challenged to the panda

"Oh did he" the man smirked back as he took a small case off his back. He opened the case to reveal a sword. Much like the last one, this one was carved in what appeared to be fine silver and words were written throughout the blade. A liquid dripped off the blade, to which Thoice could only assume was more holy water. The man took it to his chest and whispered a chant to the blade, which resulted in the blade glowing and having a shining symbol of the cross on the blade itself.

"So, you have a holy blade designed to destroy evil, eh?" Thoice joked

"No, just you. You and whatever spawn of satan this world has left" the man claimed calmly "Odd isn't it? You think I'd want to preserve you, being what you are with chaos and such… and yet, here I am, forced to kill you. Know this Thoice, it will be an honor to fight you… regardless of how much I've weighed this battle to my side" he said with a chuckle

"It'll be nice to finally sleep for once…" he agreed, his mind rushing to thoughts of Sierra "_My darling, I will finally be able to see you once again…"_ he thought with a daze, convinced she was dead

"Then rest Thoice" the man said, as he made a holy symbol across his chest "Rest eternally" he claimed as he rushed with his blade

Thoice lifted his incredibly pained right arm and blocked the blade with it. The blade touched bone, and sent unnatural pain throughout his body. It almost felt as if his very soul was being torn out of his body, and the unnatural pain that would come with. He wanted to scream in pain and cry in agony, but he was immobilized by the pain to react with anything other than reflex. He leapt back, nursing his broken arm and begun to mentally mark the battlefield for battle opportunities

"I know what you are trying Thoice. I can assure you, this battle field will grant you no bonus fighting against me. I have engineered your death today, that you can be sure" the man cackled madly "Why not just come out and die like a normal cat. You'll still have a few lives left" he laughed

"_Not a bad idea"_ he teased in his head "I know I want to die and all that, but I think I can do better than you" he mocked, hoping to be able to anger the man and unbalance him from his game

"Nice try, but you're not going to be able to manipulate me this easy. I just want to kill you for chaos, nothing else matters" he grinned as he rushed Thoice again.

"ROAR!" came the voice of Alyssa, as she leapt from the side and tackled the attacker. She was fully primal, with barred teeth and fully grown fur. Her eyes danced with a primal madness, and almost as if she was personally hurt from some type of tragic image. "_Damn it Alyssa, now you've given away our supernatural existence to Salv'ir"_ he thought sadly, knowing now he wouldn't be able to hide it.

He limped from the tree he leaned on for support, over to the netted Salv'ir, to help him to escape, while Alyssa fought madly. He looked back to watch frequently, trying to see where she could improve so he could help her later

"Oh Thoice, you needed someone to protect you did you? Who protects her!" he cackled madly as he brought the sword down on her. She lifted a paw up and caught the sword, and used her other paw to bat the panda a good few yards away with a healthy hit. He kept a hold of the sword, but he also grabbed his chest now in pain. "Oh, so she can fight can she! Can she fight fate!" he cackled

"I'll KILL YOU!" she yelled at him as she rushed at him, ready to kill. She leapt in the air, her claws out and ready to rend him in half. He held his sword up, trying to impale her as she leapt, but she rolled in the air, having the blade cut her leg but not tear through her. She tackled the panda, and tore madly at him with her paws. She tried to bite him, but he brought the sword up and kept her teeth back while she tore at his chest.

Blood drenched her claws, and the man cackled only madder and madder as his body was slowly being destroyed. "If this is the best you can do girl, you might as well lie down and die for me!" he laughed as she tore past his flesh. Alyssa started to throw his organs out of his body, leaving an unnatural trail of blood and guts to nearby trees. The man laughed one last time, and coughed as he died.

She tore away at him, tearing his head from the body and throwing it into a tree, where it shattered on impact. She then paced around the corpse and looked up at the sky and howled to declare her kill.

"Damn it Alyssa! You don't announce where we are to the enemies!" Thoice exclaimed, freeing Salv'ir from the net "Also, do you have no honor in fighting? You don't dismember and destroy your assailant's corpse. You honor their death and let them retain peace in death" he said calmly, as much as he secretly enjoyed her brutal murder of the man

"I'm sorry Thoice…" she said, as she shifted back into her normal lynx self, blood still drenched in her paw and most of her fur "I just …. Lost it when I saw you… injured …" she said sadly as she kicked the dirt

"I know, and I thank you for that. But make yourself useful and take Salv'ir ahead, won't you?" he asked

"I'm not going with that brute!" he protested to Thoice

"Tough luck. 'That brute' happens to be my friend, and she will protect you whether or not you want it. Now please, humor me this once Salv'ir, you can quiz us later tonight. Deal?" he asked, too tired to argue further.

He looked cautiously at Thoice, then back to Alyssa, and back at Thoice again before saying "Fine, but you owe me answers" and with that he jogged off with Alyssa down the dirt path

"Ugh… now that they are gone, what are you guys up to?" he asked, going over to the incredibly disemboweled panda.

"*wheeze* so you … figured me out?" the panda asked, somehow still alive

"You wouldn't of died so easily, at least not yet… I have but one question for you" Thoice begun to say, kneeling down to eye level with the destroyed corpse

"I know what you ask, and you know I won't say. Her life shall remain a mystery to you; Chaos wishes to torture your mind as much as he can, as he sends us to torture your body. Maybe, in Hell, you'll find peace" he cackled as his eyes rolled back and he died

"Curses! This 'Chaos' fellow seems to be one-step ahead of me at all times!" he swore directly at the sun, which was still tearing away at him. "Well, I'm taking a snack to recover" he said morbidly as he walked over to the panda's disemboweled heart.

He lifted it to his mouth, and drank what precious plasma retained in it. The drink lasted mere seconds, but it did help soothe the pain in his body, as his physical wounds knitted themselves shut and the pain slowly subsided to just that off the sun's searing rays.

"Now to go catch up with Alyssa and Salv'ir, they will need my help" he said, as he scampered in the dusk light. "_And hopefully I can find an answer about Sierra on this journey"_ he thought hopefully, happy his enemy at least knows of her

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><p><strong>Ok, maybe i am crossing a gore threshold here... but damn it, this story is suppose to be dark. If you came in expecting sparkly vampires, happy endings and simple plot... well i'm sorry to HORRIBLY dissapoint. Otherwise, your welcome for the 'actually good read' That being said<strong>

**Taking O.C.'s and shizzle for 'Legacy' Still and ... This is something really fun**

**Looking for a Beta Reader for 'Mobian Adventures: Freedom'. I'm cool if NOONE offers, i'd just really appreciate it. I want 'Freedom' to come out ... better well-rounded, than 'beginnings' did. Hopefully that makes sense... If your up for the challenge, hit me up via PM. I'd be REALLY grateful if you did. Plus, you'd be helping (what i assume, according to the fan's letters i get) a successful FanFiction novel to be better.**

**With regards, **

**Steven 'ZiGeNaToR' Ziegler**


	9. The Choice

**Author's note:**

**An amazing chapter... to be certain. Also, on a personal note, first chapter on my new keyboard :D**

**At anyrate, i figured where i'm stopping this story... so... chapter 13 will be the last of the series... i may sequel later... i may not. Depends on a factors, i.e. fan-support and such. But in the mean time, 'The Mobian Adventures' will keep going, and you'll see Thoice there regardless... i just hope by reading this, you understand him more.**

**-Enjoy**

* * *

><p><strong>The Choice<strong>

"_Why is everything still black and white?"_ Thoice thought as he walked through the forest up the path Alyssa and Salv'ir went up. His wounds still burned heavily, especially the ones that were crossed across the right arm. "_Shouldn't this of healed?"_ he thought, looking at the holy water scars across his arm and the disfigured wound that festered there and tasting the lingering taste of blood in his throat from the heart he drank from.

The wound burned with some unholy pain, as if his arm was constantly being cast in fire. The pain was unreal, but also capable of being endured with much willpower. He staggered forward up to Alyssa and Salv'ir, when he smelt an irresistible aroma that came from Alyssa, tearing away at him in pure thirst. "_Must … not…"_ he thought carefully as he looked at Alyssa with undying hunger in his eyes.

"Hey Thoice" Alyssa said, then noticing his stagger she rushed over to him "You don't look alright…" she begun to say

"STAY away" he said viciously, throwing his eyes away from her as he tried to calm himself. He heard her stop in her tracks and he added "I'm sorry Alyssa… I just …. Need a moment to myself" he lied

"Oh… alright…" she said, walking away from him "I'll be over here, if you need me…" she said hurt

"It's nothing personal Alyssa…" he said carefully "I'm just thirsty…" he said tactfully

"Oh…" she realized "Take your time sweetie, or better yet, take some of mine" she said flirtatiously

"_Not a bad idea…"_ he thought, then pulled his claw into his palm to steady his thoughts "_Don't you dare do it Thoice, she needs it more than you"_ he thought in reference to her blood.

"Come on Thoice… I wouldn't mind" she teased

"Ok, what are you two talking about!" Salv'ir said, putting his voice out

"Salv'ir, I'm not going to beat around the bush with you anymore" Thoice said coldly, now that being civil was becoming too hard for him "I'm a vampire and she is a lycanthrope. Yes we came from the future and we are here to protect you" he said coldly

"Ok… so you don't want to kill me?" Salv'ir asked skeptically, and oddly as if he believe Thoice right on the spot

"Never wanted to" Thoice said plainly "But I'm lacking my rational sense as of now thanks to blood lose, as if being color-blind right now wasn't bad enough" he stated

"I see… so … what course of action do you wish to take?" Salv'ir asked

"Just drink my blood and recuperate darling" Alyssa said lustfully

"Damn it woman, no!" Thoice said vehemently "We are going to head up through the forest until late in the night, then camp" he said as his arm burned "_What I wouldn't give to drink her blood right now"_ he thought as he stared at Alyssa with thirst in his eyes

"Oh you're going to make me blush there" Alyssa said flirtatiously as she skipped over to him

Much to Thoice's protection, Salv'ir put his arm out and steered Alyssa down the path and looked back with a worried look in his eyes

They walked for a good half-hour in quiet, leaving Thoice to the pain in his arm and the searing blasts from the sun. Oddly enough, the giant chunk out of his chest hurt the least, being that his shadows hid in his cloak, now they just burrowed into the gaping hole in him and soothed the area numb. "_And just when I thought I couldn't catch a break?"_ he thought with black humor

"So… Thoice… a vampire eh?" Salv'ir said openly during their walk

"Yep… I gain no pleasure in this life husky" he replied

"I doubt it. You live a life sustaining through others… and yet… you are an immortal hero for Mobius. My … God has the most interesting ways with in which he works, you agree?" Salv'ir said analytically

"I concur; my life is that of a fluke. I ask in all seriousness though, can you keep this a secret? As you saw, enough know this and furthermore, know my weakness." He said, clutching his arm in pain "The less of that I have to deal with, the better" he stated

"I'll keep your secret if you answer a few questions for me" Salv'ir replied as the sun begun to set and gave Thoice a thrilling rush of energy

"Go ahead, I'll tell you everything you're allowed to know. Not that I protect certain things from you for reasons of avarice but namely they aren't my facts to divulge, surely you understand that" Thoice said, as the shadows begun their arduous task of operating on his arm

"Fair enough. My first question is actually my biggest one… actually" he said with a laugh "It is Mobius's biggest question to those who know the truth behind you're little 'fairy tale', dontchu know?" he said with a grin

"Get on with it husky" he replied with a certain boredom as the pain in his arm magnified from the shadows 'less-than-surgical' precision at operating.

"Gee, you are a little bit of a grump now… must be blood lust or something" Salv'ir said as he thought off for a second "Anyways, I was just curious about Sierra" he said, and Thoice's mind immediately blacked out every node of pain in his body "What was she really?" he asked

"I fail to understand, are you asking if she existed or not?" Thoice replied

"No, she existed. We know that much, but we aren't sure if it really was a 'her' or, in fact, if it was just one person all-together. The facts line up that it could have been some organization or a group, as it were" Salv'ir said as if it were fact

"Well, let me quell all rumors that live within your mind" he said strictly "Sierra was a living individual and most certainly one person"

"Interesting… most top researchers in your life put this 'Sierra' to an organization, turned into a romance story to hide their true identities…. To think, she was really one person in your life…" Salv'ir said as he laughed at the thought

"She existed damn it!" Thoice said as shadows shook in the tree lines "…And still does…" he said to himself comfortingly

"Thoice, please, you don't have to be so angry" Alyssa said shyly

"I'm… sorry" he lied, as he meant what he said "I'm just not myself right now…" he said as he watched the tendrils of shadow pulse around him

"I'll be honest ocelot" Salv'ir said with a grin "You look terrifying. You have unnatural tendrils around you, blood-crazed fever in your eyes, gaping wounds and a presence of fear… if I wasn't convinced you meant me no harm, I would have ran away an hour ago" he laughed

"I don't see it" Alyssa said playfully as her eyes begun to slit more primal and her lycanthropic prowess slowly building over her petite build "He looks strong and romantic to me, like a seductive lover. I want to cuddle with him and watch the moon in his lap" she said with a lustful look in her eyes

"And that is my curse Salv'ir" Thoice said plainly "Women in my life will be bent to me for reasons of my blood thirst, and men will be terrified of the power I wield… truthfully, my only friend will be of the night" he said sadly

"I'd offer to kill you to spare you the pain, but we both know I couldn't" he replied

"Yes… I must live in this 'purgatory' of existence I possess" Thoice said bitterly "But I hope to bend the rules God laid before me to my favor, and if I have until the end of time itself to do so, I shall" he said boastfully

"If anyone is to defy God and live, it'd be you" Salv'ir laughed "Sadly for you, Vampires are the work of Lucifer" he reminded

"Oh yes, cheating the devil himself. A tricky game man has played since the dawn of time… but I believe in my abilities more so than my shortcomings" Thoice said in challenge to the devil "Let him smite me and bring me to the burning embers of Hades, or let me defy his will in the mortal plane. Either way, he wins" Thoice laughed bitterly

Alyssa walked back and clasped her hand with the ocelot "Thoice, why is your life so unfair?" she asked innocently

"Because I dared to live Alyssa… I dared to live" he replied, a tear rolling off his cheek as memories of Sierra ran through his head "But despite the life I have, I have a purpose to live out to. And on that note" he said as he clapped his hands "We have to protect Salv'ir here."

"Right you are" Salv'ir said with a laugh "But its night, and if the meager lore I've read of vampires is correct, you should be all powerful at night" he said, asking more than stating

"Technically you'd be more correct, alas my… condition is less than stellar" Thoice replied holding his arm "I'd heal to a complete state if I'd just drink…" he said, stopping himself from saying anymore as the mere words would only tempt him further

"Damn it Thoice, drink my damn blood!" Alyssa said as she pulled her shirt back to reveal her neck and grabbed him in a hug, placing his head on her shoulder "I really don't mind" she reassured him

"Damn … it…" he said, looking at her neck and feeling the blood mere inches from his fangs. The temptation to split her flesh asunder and drink the plasma tore away at him, but he was ready for this surge of emotion as he quickly thought about Sierra.

His undying love for such an oddity in his life caused his lust to die out and be replaced with crushing despair and loneliness, but he felt it as a better alternative than drinking her blood once more. "_I won't lose myself to this curse"_ he thought simply as he pulled away from her neck, only to hear her moan in displeasure as she lightly pushed his head back to her neck, as if the motion itself was begging him to drink

"Please Thoice… for me" she whispered, a mixture between lust and addiction laced in her voice

"_And this is what becomes of the women in my life, eh?"_ he thought sadly as he pulled away and looked her in the eyes "Alyssa, I can't in good conscious drink your life again" he said as he gently grabbed her hands and held them together "Please understand that I don't want to fuel this life of mine anymore than I have too, despite the devil's tricks" he stated

"… I …." She replied, a tear rolling down her cheek "I understand" she lied to him, her lustful feelings emanating between them

"_Great… now I'm connected to her again"_ he thought lamely as he let go of her hand and walked over to Salv'ir and down the path some more

"My… that is almost heartbreaking to watch" Salv'ir claimed as they walked on

"It shatters my thirst as well, don't you worry" Thoice said with a dark laugh "But I'll be damned if I feed this curse anymore than I must" he said plainly

"Well… correct me if I'm wrong" Salv'ir begun to state, looking back at a depressed Alyssa "But don't you need the life-force of others to fuel your existence?" he asked, almost for her benefit

Alyssa looked up hopefully, as if she was convinced Salv'ir was arguing on her behalf. "Yes and no, oddly enough" Thoice replied with a dark grin

"Oh?" Salv'ir replied, as a curious Alyssa pivoted her ears towards the conversation "Please, go on" he asked

"Well, as with all I tell you of myself, I trust you won't willingly distribute this information across the lands" the ocelot said tactfully

"You have my word, at whatever weight that holds in your eyes" the husky replied

"Very well" he replied "My condition will reach the most power and so forth by consuming the life-force of others, which is correct. However, I don't need to, per say" he said cleverly

"And that is what confused me…" Salv'ir replied

"By not consuming I will go through hell and back, metaphorically, in pain and self-inflicted agony" Thoice admitted "But I won't die… in a sense. My cognitive being will degrade, and I'll become more primal and self-gratifying until I drink again…" he said "And that time would result in me drinking the entire 'reservoir' out of my unfortunate victim" he said sadly

"Oh? Seems most beneficial if you'd just take a drink from the girl" Salv'ir argued

"Yeah… you know I've thought of that extensively" he replied, looking back at the anxious girl "But look at the results since the first time. She … almost 'needs' this bite more than I do, as if it were a drug" Thoice stated simply

"Can't you remedy that problem with alchemy?" Salv'ir asked back

"You'd think so, but I'd rather take my chances at curing my need to thirst, than making my victims suffer less…" he stated "Although…. A simple nectar extract of…" he pondered for a second

"Thoice, are you telling me you can drink from me again if I just have some nectar?" Alyssa asked, happiness pouring past her feral eyes

"Technically… I'd suppose so… but…" Thoice tried to argue against "I would still take a fair amount of your hemoglobin and so forth, and since I need you as my body guard as well as Salv'ir's…." he begun to say

"Now we both know your grasping at straws" Salv'ir laughed "I know, you know how to make her body grow her blood back faster." He laughed

"True… I do… but since I do not have the reagents on me… not the inclination to craft her being as a 'feeding tube' for me…" he said, disliking the mere thought of it

"But It really isn't" Salv'ir argued "Look at it this way; you have this curse to live right? The side effect is to drink from the living, and this girl is more than willing to help you, of her own freewill" he started to argue until Thoice cut him off

"Now that is a common misconception" Thoice laughed "She is barely in her own freewill. As … well… what I am, I have a natural allure to the members of the opposite sex." He chuckled darkly "As such, they are almost drawn to me on that alone. And as a mosquito must numb its target to drink, I too have a mechanism to ensure future drinks on my own behalf" he grinned darkly

"I'm almost afraid to ask of what" Salv'ir replied

"Lust" he said simply "Namely, I spike their endorphins at such unparallel levels that she wouldn't ever be able to achieve such through any carnal pleasure" he said comically "I have given her a taste of something beyond her virgin body, and she only aches to have the same bliss once more. I'm not sick enough to give such perverse fantasies to such an impressionable lad, again" he said shortly

"I get it… so you think by depriving her, that you are saving her from lust, or something?" he asked

"I guess so, I just don't want her to lead such an oddity of a life because of me" he said simply

"But she wants this, and it doesn't hurt anything but her blood count. It really amazes me just how much you're willing to suffer to protect such a girl" Salv'ir laughed

"I guess so, anyways, I'm going to go scout ahead" Thoice said simply as the shadows leapt to envelope him and transport him into the night

"_Finally some time to myself"_ the ocelot thought peacefully as he shifted through the shadows of the night as unreal speeds. He would simply will himself in a direction, and his being would be thrown to his destination … really, it was impossible to explain, but at the same time, invigorating and unreal as a sensation.

He materialized in the tree line, looking down ahead the trail where he saw a small fire. "_Might as well investigate"_ he thought as he leapt through the shadows to materialize in the basking warmth of the fire. The fires warmth was oddly refreshing to him, without the pain that the sun would berate him. In a bizarre sense, the warmth almost made him feel alive once more.

"_Amazing what simple things you miss when you are 'dead' and walking around…"_ he thought as he watched the fire flicker ahead of him. The sounds of some trigger being pulled startled him as the fire leapt from the pit and took shape in front of him. A man jumped out of the nearby bush and begun making gestures with his arms and incoherent words that took shape as if in song.

The fire reacted by slowly adapting Thoice's shape, becoming that of an ocelot and wearing a cloak that mimicked his very own. The face slowly crafted itself to replicate the original, blinking back at him with his own feline curiosity.

"My word… a fiery doppelganger of … well me" he laughed in delight, looking back at the chanting man "I must know how you managed to craft such a spectacle" Thoice inquired to the man

There was no response as the man seemingly never ended to chant, making more eccentric arm gestures and moving his feet to some rhythm that wasn't tangible to Thoice ears.

"_Well… he isn't talking, which means I'm fighting fire"_ he thought with an ironic grin.

He leapt back from the fire, watching it mimic his leap with inhumane perfection, as if he were watching his doppelganger through a mirror. He tested the mirror image of himself through a rigorous exercise of pointless gestures, trying to trip up the copy. It passed them all with no trouble what-so-ever.

"_Ok… resilient eh? Let us see how well you handle the super natural"_ he grinned menacingly to the copy as he pulled to the surrounding shadows. The darkness leapt to his aid, covering him in a coat of pure shadow. The fire copy merely copied the design of Thoice at that point, looking just as menacingly. "Now you see me" he had begun to say, as he traveled into the darkness, leaving a confused doll of fire. "_Now you don't"_ he thought with a grin as he appeared near the demon and poured his shadow all over it as an attempt to extinguish the being

The fire demon looked back at Thoice through the shadows, almost sorrowfully and succumbed to the darkness, turning into smoke and ash. "_That wasn't too hard"_ was his first thought as he looked over at the robed man. He chanted a few more lines and Thoice felt some resistance in his shadow-covered 'friend', and jumped back anticipating the power of the flame.

The fire erupted from the shadows, tearing the darkness away in almost every conceivable direction. The fire roared in anger and charged at Thoice with reckless abandon.

Realizing the fire was now angry, he did the only sensible thing he could think off, and jumped into the darkness to travel away. Or at least, he tried as the shadows of their battle field have been eradicated by the flame monster.

"Damn it all!" Thoice cursed as he reached into his pocket for some vials and chucked them at the golem, hoping for some adverse reaction. The vials exploded on contact, and stumbled the charging monster back a few steps, but ultimately didn't faze the being one bit.

The monster retaliated by curling its hands up and then hocking small balls of inferno at Thoice, who dodged them with mad precision, knowing what fire does to his vampiric form. The monster cackled madly as it continued the volley, occasionally stopping to watch Thoice catch his breath with feline curiosity before continuing another volley of fire and brimstone upon him.

Some time passed, and Thoice was reaching his limits from all the mad dodging and running to avoid the fire. But that wasn't for lack of trying to find the weakness in this creature. "_Ok, so it has my curiosity and… oddly enough, is playing with me as it has had several opportunities to hit me"_ he thought, knowing he had deliberately given the beast incredibly easy shots to test his theory. "_So… how do I defeat you?"_ he thought as he looked over at the hooded man who was chanting some nonsensical chant.

He thought he'd give the hooded man a shot as he leapt over to the man in the attempt to harm him, when the golem appeared between the two and forced Thoice to back up in fear.

"Damn it! Fight fair!" Thoice cursed as he leapt away to be basked in the shadows of the nearby clearing

The man continued to chant but the golem opened its mouth and talked in the most peculiar voice of all "Fair? Master Thoice, you are one to talk… being a child of the reddest of wines, you hardly have privilege to say such things."

"So you know me, no particular surprise. But knowing my ailment… that is a red light. What are you fire-shaper" the ocelot demanded

"Oh, so bossy" the golem teased "I am a simple fire warrior from the church of chaos, and it is my sacred duty to annihilate you. And I can say, after what I've seen, I'm amazed you've given my lord any trouble" the golem said smugly

"It's not all my fault, I could do with a drink" Thoice said with a grin as he bolstered his left and right paws with layers of shadow

"You can drink the nectar of life if you manage to survive tonight, so enjoy dying parched" the golem laughed as it rushed to the ocelot in intent to kill

"Damn!" he cursed as he rolled out of the way and struck his claws across the fire's torso. The shadow spread upon the beast, extinguishing the being's torso and showing signs of pain across the golem's face. "_So you aren't immortal, now are you?"_ he thought as he figured out to work this in his favor

The golem roared in anger and proceeded to resort to its strategy of throwing balls of fire at the ocelot, cackling madly in time with the flames. Thoice merely rolled against the flame and swiftly stuck the golem across its right arm, severing the limb from the beast's body. It roared madly and engulfed its self in a new gust of flame, failing to regrow its limb back.

"_Lovely, now to finish this monster off"_ he thought as he lined up his next shot

The golem, now furious of its pain and lack-thereof an arm begun a new strategy of spewing a constant stream of fire at Thoice, who would dodge madly as the torrent never ended after him. A few times the ocelot would be caught in the flame, only to have his shadow dash madly at the sight of the ignite to extinguish the flame

"_I can't afford to be hit that many more times"_ he thought as he felt his light barrier of shadow fading. He realized, as his life frequently boiled down to, that he had to be reckless to dare win this fight. He pulled as much shadow as he could from the surrounding forest and buffered layers across him as thick as possible. Then he rushed straight at the fire golem, taking the brunt of the fire-torrent right on, feeling the shadow being torn away from him in extensive amounts.

At the last second he rolled to the side and swung his arm across the being's arm and legs. The corpse of the creature hit the ground and growled madly at Thoice as he swept his arm down across the creature's neck to sever the head and cause the creature to decompose into dust

The hooded man stopped chanting and looked at the ocelot in fear as he backed up into the shadow. "Mark my words vampire, I shall destroy you!" the man yelled as he ran off into the forest

"_Oh no you don't" _Thoice thought as he felt the tendrils of the shadow in the forest hunt the man down like headless snakes following their prey on scent alone. The tendrils punctured through the man and tore him away without mercy, giving Thoice the direct feedback of the man's bones breaking and the blood pooling on the floor of the forest. But the most damaging part of the process was when his unnatural shriek tore through the tree line, sending crows from their roosts and owls from their perches.

"Damn it… what have I become?" he asked himself as he walked to the empty fire pit as the emotions and feelings of his tendrils violating the man surged through him. "I… need a drink" he said as he wished water could pleasure his palette

Alyssa and Salv'ir rushed from the nearby tree line to see Thoice sitting on the floor, the corpse of his victim in front of him, as he had the shadows bring him the body so he could learn what he could from the corpse.

"Damn it Thoice, did you kill some innocent man!" Salv'ir asked, outraged at the ocelot

"If you weren't the mission, I would have struck you down for insolence" Thoice retorted as he rummaged through the shattered remains of the man

"Thoice… was he… an enemy?" Alyssa asked nervously

"Yes dear, some type of … pyromancer, if that makes sense to anyone" he said plainly as he got up with no knowledge of the man

"Wait… as in one who can control the very element of fire?" the husky asked

"Very much so… and he gave me quite a fight" the ocelot replied lazily as he looked at Alyssa with a thirst in his throat

"So… shall we continue our journey?" Salv'ir asked, walking down the path some more

"… errr…. Yes. Quite" Thoice said distractedly as he followed after Salv'ir, leading Alyssa behind him.

The three traveled for hours in the wee time of the night, and Thoice grew only more and more tired as the night wore on. He ultimately faded into the shadows and became Alyssa's shadow so that he could relax for awhile… but no rest is ever peaceful in his mind

***Chime***

"Thoice! Get ready for breakfast damn it!" his mother shouted as she knocked on his door.

Thoice awoke in a small room, covered in piles of notes and books scattered across the room. He may have only been seven years old, but he was studying the material that most college students read each night. His parents prided education above all else, and when Thioce was born with his innate sense of learning, they were ecstatic.

"Coming mom!" he lazily replied as he pulled himself from his covers. He walked out into the hallway of their manor and looked into the mirror at an incredibly tired ocelot. His fur was ghost white, as if he had lived far too many winters. His eyes had the most curious fashion to him; giving the appearance he was always analyzing something or another.

He hoped into the shower and quickly made himself clean, hoping out to an outfit prepared for him by the house maid. He donned the outfit and ran to his room real fast for he had a stroke of thought in the shower and wished to test the reality in his chemistry lab.

He mixed a few extracts together and added some special toxins into the mix, watching as the compound bubbled furiously. "Cool…" he said as he watched the mixture grow in the beaker and detonate. The glass stood intact, but the compound exploded all over his desk, making the oddest of sounds.

"Wow… I didn't expect that" he said as he quickly took notes

"THOICE!" his mother yelled again

He quickly finished what he was writing and yelled "COMING!" back as he ran to the hallway and jumped down the flight of stairs.

His mother and father were at the table, the family maid was dishing the family up as always. The maid was an elderly cat, with the nicest of smiles. She was always nice to everyone, and everyone was nice back to her. She had faded blue fur, as she had lived for so long. Thoice's family hired her out of kindness, as she needed work.

Thoice's mom was a lovely light shade of pink with white accents all across her stomach. She was writing something down in her journal, as she was never without it. Being a top researcher gave her an insatiable thirst to always test hypothesis and write down her results. She tamed herself to keep the habit of writing by always writing her dreams down each morning.

Thoice's dad was a silver shade of blue with the oddest stripe of red across his right arm, which spiraled down the entire forearm. No one knew why he had such an odd stripe, and really no one cared that much after getting to know him. He was a kind hearted man who worked tireless hours at a top-secret facility with Thoice's mother trying to cure a wide variety of diseases and such with medical devices well before their time.

"Hey-a kiddo, what were you doing?" his father asked him as he took his seat and the maid dished him up

"I was testing the hypothesis of Alexander Shortzi and the principle that yeast and fungal matter can yield an artificial womb in which to grow plants at an accelerated rate." Thoice replied taking a bite of toast "Needless to say, he was most certainly wrong" he laughed

"Yeah… that Alexander" his father laughed "I remember doing that experiment in my grad year…" he reflected

"So Thoice, did you get any work done on your vector formulas?" his mother asked

"I tried to, but I couldn't measure the mass beyond grams, so I realized that I'd ultimately be doomed with an inaccurate measurement, which would make any testing volatile and dangerous" he replied to his mom

"Good, I didn't think you'd figure out that curveball" his mom laughed gentle "I guess you were right dear, Thoice is smart enough to figure out the impossible"

"I guess so" he laughed back "Anyways, we are needed at the lab nice and early today, you want to come with champ?" his dad asked

Thoice's eyes widened with happy anticipation "REALLY DAD! I can go to the Mobius lab of medical advancement!" he asked, treating it as if it were a Christmas gift to him

"I don't see why not?" his father said "Your already smarter than most the employees there" he joked

"And you are such a mature and responsible boy… shame we decided to not give you a brother or sister…" his mom said slightly saddened

"Its ok mom, I don't need a sibling. In fact, research shows that families that have more than one child are subject to divide their attention across and ultimately produce subpar children in the end" Thoice recited from one of his texts

"True, but Wymdinger argues that children that have a sibling are more encouraged to grow their educational pre-cortex as well as shape their social skills at a much faster rate" his father argued back

"And I don't dispute Wymdinger's claim, but isn't Harold's correct when he claims that single children families are a tighter knit group of likeminded individuals that are inherently destined to become more socially connected at a deeper level that other families?" Thoice argued back

"True, it really is nature vs. nurture" his mom chimed in "Damn I love how smart you are son, I doubt college graduates could argue half that well… what I would give to see what you'd become in twenty years" his mom said as the memory faded white

***Shine***

The morning sun tore at Thoice disguised as Alyssa's shadow, tearing him awake as he materialized next to her

"Oh, morning sleepy head" she joked as she lazily walked down the path, her lycanthropic qualities fading back into her being, exposing more typical features of her race

"Yes, quite good for you to rejoin the living, as it were' Salv'ir laughed groggily "Most peculiar thing by the way, while you were miss Alyssa's shadow, she seemed to have endless energy and so forth… we found it odd indeed" the man remarked

"That surely caught me off guard, for I had no idea" he replied honestly "But that could be useful information, so thanks Salv'ir" he said tactfully

"Anytime, and there is the nearby city of Talc'ium, and I think it would be a wonderful place to take up rest from last night's trek" the man said with a yawn

"I agree" Alyssa said with an accompanying yawn

"Very well, but we mus'nt dally" Thoice said as he lead the party into the city and to an inn

A large rat sat behind the counter and looked the group over. "So I take it youse want a room?" the man asked shrewdly

"It'd be nice, yes. We only need it for mere hours, so really what is the point of making us pay for a night?" Thoice said cleverly

"True… but a room is a room, so you pay for what you get" the man said shrewdly

"Only if you insist" Thoice said as he deposited a bag of rings on the counter

The rat counted the bag quickly and threw the ocelot the key to the room "It's the third on the left" he said distractedly

The three walked to the room and saw the measly two beds placed in shoddily decorated room

"Well… I can assure you that we aren't paying for ambience" Thoice joked

"Hell, a bed is a bed. Wake me in a couple of hours" Salv'ir said as he fell on top of the bed and begun snoring in a matter of seconds

"Hey… Thoice" Alyssa said as she sat down on the bed "I hate sleeping alone… and stuff…. And you are probably tired and such" she said flustered

"_Adorable, she is inviting me to bed"_ he thought with slight humor "No thanks Alyssa, feel free to sprawl all over the bed and get a lazy night's rest" he replied

"Oh…. Alright" she said sadly as she took off her shirt and kicked her shoes off. Her bra was showing, pale white like Thoice's fur and she tucked herself into the bed and looked back with a grin "Can you tell me a bedtime story?" she joked

"I could yes… but I got one better" he said as he slipped his left claw into his pouch and dipped it in his sleeping-toxin "It goes a little like this" he said tactfully as he reached out to stroke her hair out of her face, pricking the side of her head with the poison

"Ow! Be careful" she said reaching up to check the wound

"My bad" he lied pulling his hand away "Once there was a proud knight who used to fight for good and all that is holy" he begun lazily, watching her eyelids get heavy

"Oh… cool…" she replied, her eyes struggling to stay open

"Well, he was beckoned by the king of the land to slay a mighty beast" he continued to say, as Alyssa snore back at him

"_Sierra… now Alyssa… if I didn't know better, I'd say I've become a date-rapist"_ he joked as he left the room to go check out the city

He collected his typical layer of shadow so that he could endure the morning sun, and walked down the city's streets until he came across an alchemist shop. And elderly cat worked the stall; she had light grey hair and a kind look.

Thoice took a double take when he saw her and swore it was the maid from his childhood, but dismissed it for she would have been dead for hundreds of years… normally.

"Greetings young'n, how may I be of assistance?" she asked as she saw him enter

"I am here to restock my supplies" he replied politely, taking a bow to her presence

"Oh ho ho, no need for flattery" she giggled "What do you need mister?" she asked

He recited a list of ingredient, from herbs to artificial compounds and she pulled vials and bags of materials from around the store and assembled them on her counter as he finished up his list

"Anything else?" she asked when he was done

"Uhm…" he thought carefully, and noticed a flower in the corner "That flower would do nicely" he said as she added it to the pile

"Ok, might I say you really are quite the alchemist… I didn't know anyone still practiced the art anymore" she said as she started figuring the total out

"Oh, I've been doing this since I was five" he replied honestly

"Surely you are joking, a mere boy couldn't even comprehend the art, let alone perform it" she said

"I jest not, this is the statement from the lord's eyes and mine mouth" he replied with a gesture of honesty

"Then you must be some type of prodigy, I'm surprised the government hasn't snatched you up yet" she joked as she finished the total "Ok, this will be 3,000 rings" she said politely

Thoice reached into his bag and pulled the allotted amount out, and handed them to her. She thanked him and started to place the goods into a bag

"Excuse me, since I'm a traveler, can I burden you and use your lab to quickly make my compounds?" he asked nicely

"Uhm…" she contemplated "Oh alright, It'd give me a chance to see a master at work anyways" she laughed

"You are too kind" he thanked her and walked over to her workstation and begun his work. He lit the Bunsen burner to a relative heat, mixed several beakers that he had lined up in his jacket with the new ingredients and begun to carefully brew a large batch of the variety of toxins he carried with him.

He worked furiously, mixing his compounds quickly and diligently, making idle chit-chat with the elderly lady whenever she didn't have a customer. She frequently would ask him questions about what he was doing, and he answer her to some degree and the process would repeat.

"My…. "She said when he finally turned down the flame and begun to wash the containers out "Here, let me take care of all that… it's the least I can do after getting to watch such a masterful performance" she said earnestly

"Many thanks ma'm" Thoice said as he pocketed his new salvo of vials "And for you" he said nicely as he offered her the flower he bought earlier

"My, what for" she asked

"For being so polite and nice, it is such an under-appreciated gift" he said to her, wishing he was talking to his old maid

"Why thank you young man, I hope the future will be blessed for you" she said accepting the flower

"_Well, that makes two of us"_ he thought as he said his goodbye and walked back to the inn to check up on Alyssa and Salv'ir

He entered the room and saw the two were still asleep, and seeing that they still had plenty of time, he decided to join them, so he laid next to Alyssa and above the sheets as he closed his eyes in peace

***swoosh***

The door went in front of Thoice, opening up a room full of windowed rooms and cogs and gears everywhere. People in doctor's coats walked around the facility, carrying clipboards and mindless conversations between themselves

"Wow dad, I never thought your office could be so amazing" Thoice admonished

"It really isn't that special" he joked back as the three made it to the research & develop wing

"Greetings doctors" said a hedgehog with green hair "Awww, and is that your darling kid?" he asked

"Why yes, I happen to be the legitimate offspring of them, what of it?" Thoice asked, expecting a dazed response

"Wow, and learned I see… wouldn't expect anything less from you two" he laughed as he walked down the hallway

"Atta boy Thoice, remember. Knowledge is the most powerful tool you possess, use it to deal with those weaker than you, and to beat those stronger than you" his mother told him

"Survival of the fittest, right mom?" Thoice asked

"Correct" she said as they entered the lab

The lab was humongous, with giant desks loaded with papers and books everywhere. Large and elaborate machines were lined up in the room, being built, tinkered with or just polished to look good. The room was covered in the most odd of machines however, such as a carriage with wheels adorned to all found corners of the device and large canvas flaps placed above it as if it desired to achieve flight

"Gee Dad, what do you people do here?" Thoice asked, looking around at the oddities in front of him

"Why, we imagine the future" his dad replied with a grin

"You mean to say… this can be the future?" he replied

"Can and will be" his mother replied, taking out her journal and sitting at a desk to transcribe her notes onto research paper "Go on ahead dear, I want to finish up yesterdays plans" she said to his father

"Very well Susan" he replied as he took Thoice with him to the corner of the room, where another door was

"Dad, what is behind there?" he asked, looking at the door

"Why this, is the top-secret room" he replied "Can you keep a secret?" he asked

"Of course" Thoice replied

"Good" he grinned as he opened the door.

The room had a large long device atop some type of cart. The device had many rungs in it, and tubes feeding it from a large container in the back. The long shaft had a pointed end, which was funneled by many mirrors and cables, clearly being the focal point for whatever the wires were meant to do

"Father, what is this … device?" Thoice asked, lost for words

"Can't you figure it out?" his dad asked, testing him

"_Hmmm, a challenge eh?"_ Thoice thought as he walked around the device. He noticed an electric current being passed down the wires, and the mirrors were convex and focused upon a refracting lens. The large metal pole down the middle seemed to be feeding some direct energy down it, which seemed to need the electric current to stabilize.

"Father… would this by chance be like anything Gerald writes about, a 'laser gun' of sorts?" Thoice asked

"Marvelous isn't it?" his dad asked, grinning madly "A weapon of pure light and electricity, a marvel of modern science, don't you agree?" he asked

"It … is something alright" Thoice agreed, mixed with awe and fear of the weapon "Can't this eradicate entire worlds within a matter of minutes?" he asked

"I suppose… in theory" his dad replied "But we are creating it to defend Mobius from those who wish to rule it, furthermore, it can be used in engineering" he said cleverly

"But father, if such weapons were to fall into the wrong hands…" Thoice begun to say

"That can be said of anything though" his dad replied shortly "Besides, we have counter measures in case of such accounts" he said smartly

"Very well" Thoice said dejectedly

"Let us go see how your mother is doing" he said with a grin as he opened the door back up and the light bathed his eyes

***shine***

"Aw, you needed a cuddle buddy" Alyssa teased as he awoke to her lying on top of him, looking at him like a cat would to a ball of yarn

"uhm… any reason you are atop of me?" he asked, looking back at her

"Doesn't it excite you at all, to have a hot girl be on you as you wake up?" she asked quizzically

"_I suppose if it were Sierra"_ he thought "I'm far too tired to have such fantasies" he lied, sparing her feelings as she rolled off

"Gee, your no fun" she teased, still wearing no shirt. Salv'ir's snoring could be heard as the only accompanying sound in the room

"So, how long we been sleeping" he asked

"A good few hours" she replied

"Good, I'll give the man a good half hour longer then we make haste to the next destination" he said, looking out the window

"Thoice… you don't look so good" she remarked, seeing his burned arm

"It really isn't that bad" he lied, the pain resurging itself

"Here, take off your shirt and let me administer some first aid on you" she said playfully

"_I might as well play along"_ he thought, too tired to argue otherwise. He took off his shirt and lied down on his back, feigning the bed as an operating table

"Geez Thoice!" she cried out, seeing a giant gaping hole in his chest "How long has that been there!" she exclaimed

"Since the wounds on my arm" he replied calmly, the shadows waking up inside his chest cavity and playfully wiggling around

"Ok, uhm… I'm going to work on the arms… but the torso…. I have …. No idea" she said bewildered as she grabbed a first aid kit off the nightstand and opened it up

"Where'd you get the kit?" he asked

"While you were sleeping, I went into town for some supplies and found it" she said as she took out a small vial of hydrogen peroxide "Now this is going to hurt, but I need to disinfect the wound" she said

"Go for it, I invented that compound" he said with a laugh

"Geez, you're so damn old" she laughed as she blotted the mixture on his wounds. The pain shot up his arm, and sent a spasm down his spine, but he made no sound of pain "Ok, now to dab it with some cotton" she said, as she slowly attended to the wound

The pain sent through him frequently, reminding him that he was still alive, at least in some regards. "_She knows I don't heal like normal, right?"_ he thought as she went on

"Ok… there, now you look decent" she said, as he looked at his arms. The wounds were significantly harder to notice and he seemed healthier. "I know you heal through blood and such, but you need to at least pass your mortal" she said with a grin, her pale white bra slipping off her breasts. She felt the shift and quickly repositioned her cups back and looked at him playfully

"Why are you so calm around me Alyssa?" he asked honestly, his curiosity showing once more

"Gee… that is a long story" she admitted as she laid down next to him "Ya see, my first time learning of you was in the caves" she said "As it turns out, the last server of the crystal really liked that book of yours, as it was highlighted and marked all over." She laughed

"_Sounds like Sierra… if it's worth writing once, you might as well re-edit a thousand times"_ he thought with a grin

"So, as a child I was conditioned with this concept of 'a prince charming' for each and every girl" she laughed "Well, when I read your story, like many other girls have, you were the ideal candidate. Caring, nice, self-sacrificing for the greater good, funny, smart…" she said, trailing off a list

"_I don't see it, but whatever"_ he thought smiling

"So, when I finally met you… it was like… meeting a long lost friend, or something" she said with a blush, her infatuation coming clearly across to Thoice, who looked away in embarrassment

"_I knew she had feelings for me, but damn if I didn't know she was so infatuated with me"_ he said, thinking of how to deal with this best

"I mean, I could never ask you to chose between me and your old girlfriend, because for you that is so recent" she said earnestly "I just want you to know… well … yeah" she said, as she rolled off the bed and slid her shirt on

"Hey Alyssa, come here" he beckoned as she sat next to him "It means a lot to me when someone opens up to me" he said honestly

"It really is nothing, you taught me in story to be honest and fair" she said looking back at him

"I know, and I mean to repay that" he said, as he fished out a vial for her "Drink this" he said

"Ok" she replied, drinking it all in one sip

"You weren't even curious of what that was?" he asked, astonished by her action

"I am loads curious, but I trust you to not hurt me" she replied with honesty in her eyes

"Well… you are right, I do love my old … 'girlfriend' and always will" he said, thinking back to her "But that doesn't mean I can't love another or find happiness elsewhere" he said tactfully

"Oh I know" she said happily

"Now, don't misconstrued this, I am not asking you out or anything." He said sternly "But… at the same time, I'm also not saying it could never happen" he said cleverly

Her eyes opened up ecstatically "Do you mean it!" she asked

"Yes… I mean to try and open up" he said calmly, and she hugged him happily and poured thank yous' all over him "Yes, yes great and all" he said pushing her off

"I'm sorry, but …. I never thought you would even allow yourself to move on!" she said happily

"_Neither did I"_ he thought "It is worth a shot, Sierra would of wanted it…" he said thinking of her "As for what you drank, it is a compound that encourages hemoglobin growth and platelet development on a wide scale amount" he said

"So… I have …. More blood?" she said slowly

"Exactly, and since you've been begging me all night, I am giving you the opportunity to let me drink a SMALL amount from you, once more" he said, already regretting this gift

In a blink of an eye, she threw her shirt off and offered her neck to him "I want it more than anything Thoice" she said honestly "Take me away once more" she continued to say

"Very well, but afterwards you must be professional and help me escort Salv'ir" he said

"Anything, just drink from me" she said lustfully

"Very well" he said, as he moved to her neck. He kissed the soft and supple skin, which made her moan in pleasure as she caressed the back of his head. He carefully licked her neck a few times, resulting in a few more moans of pure ecstasy before he barred his fangs.

He kissed her once more before puncturing her flesh with his fangs; she transitioned from a playful moan into an euphoriatic moan that made her clench Thoice reflexively. As he slowly drank from her, she panted and moaned as she begged him to drink more.

Her blood filled him with power, as he felt his arms regrow and sew themselves back together, becoming as sterling as they were before. The hole in his chest slowly knitted shut, till there was no sign of the wound whatsoever. He felt the power of the plasma surge through him, as he felt his primal tendencies fade away and his civilized mind return to him.

He slowly pulled away from her, stopping the draining of her plasma, to which he heard her moan in disagreeance to his decision. She softly held his head in place, beckoning him to drink more, as she begged for him to drink a little more with playful lustful whispering. He kissed the twin pinpricks on her neck, and pulled away to see eyes of absolute sadness look back at him

"Thoice… please… just a little more" she asked

"I told you a little bit, and I drank what I needed" he said calmly

"But…. But … but" she exclaimed, lifting her hand to feel the pinpricks as if touching them could restart the sensation she was feeling mere seconds ago

"If you need to 'finish up' you may use the rest room, but please be quick as we are leaving soon" he said tactfully, not wanting to know anything more of her lustful emotions, as he was now tied to her thoughts and feelings

She looked at him with pure lust in her eyes and excused herself to the restroom. He felt a spike of endorphins a few minutes later, and shook his head trying to suppress the feeling he just felt.

"_That is just … messed up on so many levels"_ he thought as he looked at Salv'ir. He touched the man's shoulder and said "Time to wake up buddy, we got some distance to cover"

"Very well ocelot" he replied, as they collected Alyssa and begun their journey again. They walked out of the inn and through the town's gates once more and continued northward.

"So… where is this place Salv'ir?" Thoice asked

"Why, it shouldn't be much longer" he replied, looking ahead

"Salv'ir, what is the importance of wherever we are going" Alyssa asked

"Why it is a land that is crashed in darkness most foul and I plan on purging the evil from the land myself, to test myself against the lord's will" he replied shortly

"Ah yes, a test of endurance" Thoice recalled from the story of Salv'ir

"Most certainly wave of darkness" he replied to the ocelot

"Wave of darkness?" Thoice asked "Since when was I called that?"

"Since now, you are a wave in the ocean of life, most confusing of all others. You are of absolute darkness, the true embodiment of all that is sin of life, and yet you lead the most noble of life… thus I dub you Darkwave, or 'wave of darkness'" he said simply

"Why thank you Salv'ir" Thoice replied

"No problem, well, we shall be here right over this ridge" the husky said.

Sure enough, once they lifted over the ridge they came to an abandoned ghost town of a city roaming with walking shadows of the corrupt and dead

"Are you sure you want to face this alone, I mean… me and Thoice could…" Alyssa started to say

"We can't dear" Thoice said "For one; we would interrupt the time stream by ruining this chapter of his life" he said "And for two, he must do this challenge alone, as is the terms of this particular challenge" Thoice said sadly

"I shall eternally miss your companionship Thoice and Alyssa, may you live long fruitful lives" he said as he bowed to them

"And may you find what you seek" Thoice replied in bow as the chrono-energy circled around he and Alyssa

"Bye Salv'ir, your future is amazing!" Alyssa said as they were ripped into the time vortex and sent back to the crystal of time

***Bump***

"Sorry Zane" a hedgehog said as he brushed into Thoice's father

"It is quite alright" came the reply as he and Thoice made it back to his mother

"So, are we ready for the grand experiment?" she asked

"Wait, what is this now?" Thoice asked

"Your mother and I have been selected to test a new device that shall be the gateway to immortal life" his dad replied proudly

"Wait, but to defy the lord is heresy and sin" Thoice pointed out

"Again, you are confusing fact with fiction Thoice, God is a thing the common-folk cling to in desperation, whereas we have logic and wisdom" his mother said

"But what if it fails…" Thoice said skeptically

"Then it fails, what is the worst that can happen?" his dad asked as they walked to a chamber in the back of the room

His parents entered the cubic room of glass, with some large machine that had some type of readout screen. The machine had a variety of cables and wires throughout it, with many rods and sparks shooting off everywhere. His parents donned some type of helmets and addressed the crowd

"Greeting other like-minded geniuses" his dad joked as always, and the people laughed in response "Today we challenge the rules God gave us, which we must only live for as long as our body stays inert" he said

"Me and my husband are going to bind out intellect with this machine, thus creating a life form of pure thought and free-will" his mother said "If we could genetically create our amazing child, with very little technological assistance, then we should be able to craft a life form with very little organic assistance" she said simply

"_Wait, the challenge to teach something organic is minimal in contrast to imposing intellect on that which inheritably has no knowledge to begin with, thus making their calculations off by …"_ Thoice thought as his parents talked "WAIT!" he cried out

"And without any further delay, we take one giant step forward for science!" his father said, as he threw the switch

The machine cackled madly as sparks shot off in wild directions, his parents groaned with the electricity that ran through them and the machine begun to write words upon its screen madly

'See, this machine is learning … It possess the knowledge of life…. It …. No… NO! …. It solved that life is flawed… it's all so simple! Don't you see! Life …. Life is meaningless…. Life …. Needs … to ….' The machine prompt read as his parents screamed in pain as the machine shocked them madly

Thoice took a nearby rag and wrapped it around his fist as he punched through the glass wall and dove in to save his parents, but it was too late. Their steamed corpses were on the floor, cackling with fresh electricity as their eyes melted back and their body caved into themselves, as hollow caskets. The kid looked up at the monitor to read

'Two lives down… a mere planet remains …'

"Not if I have anything to say about that!" Thoice cried out in anger as he leapt at the machine and opened its primary compartment. He quickly jumped some cables together, wired a date complex into the machine and threw the switch again

'Foolish mortal…. You can't …. Wait …. Wait….. WAIT!' the machine cried out as the screen went blank and a blinking cursor was left, mindlessly ticking away on the screen

Thoice didn't care however; he went to his parents corpses and cried for the loss he had just watched. He cried for how unfair life was, and how he couldn't just tell his parents before they went in, that their calculations were wrong. He cried at the fact he had to live now… without a family.

He saw his mother's journal placed with her, and in a swift movement, pocketed it before anyone else saw it, knowing to protect all his families secrets from this point on… all of them…

* * *

><p><strong>Ok, so i make dark chapters in Thoice's life... sorry? The man had a tough life, and it ain't getting easier. But at least he is trying to move on. The next chapter will be some time till it comes out, as i plan a few 'Freedom' chapters to be coming out soon... so... yeah.<strong>

**As always, Rates or Reviews would be nice, as well as heck a PM for the thought. I really hope you all enjoy his life as much as i do**

**Oh, and that computer plays a part in 'The Mobian Adventures'... just ... ya know, saying**

**Love,**

**Steven 'ZiGeNaToR' Ziegler**


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